Democrats Dismiss Concerns About Key Program Going Unfunded During Imminent Schumer-Caused Shutdown

Senate Democrats, appearing to move full steam ahead with plunging the country into a government shutdown, are mum on the consequences for millions of women and babies who could go hungry during a prolonged funding lapse.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which helps assist low-income parents and children with groceries, is expected to face substantial disruptions during a government shutdown. Despite the prospect of WIC running out of funding within days after a funding lapse, Senate Democrats have largely dismissed concerns that WIC recipients will not be able to access benefits during an indefinite shutdown.

“I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who has loudly opposed a clean government funding extension offered by Republicans, told the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation. “They didn’t write that budget with us, so you know, I don’t know what they’re referring to.”

“They obviously gutted funding for nutritional benefits,” Murphy continued. “They are leaving millions of kids hungry and starving. That’s the truth — because of the budget that passed in the spring.”

Democratic Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride similarly rejected the Trump administration’s claim that Democrats’ votes against funding the government could make millions of low-income parents and children suffer during a shutdown.

“It’s rich coming from an administration that’s turned its back on women, children and families with their cuts to SNAP ,” McBride said while also slamming Republicans for enacting Medicaid reforms in July.

Republicans have consistently argued they are strengthening SNAP and Medicaid to ensure the benefit programs remain financially sustainable in the long run while rooting out waste and abuse.