The White House plans to use tariff revenue to sustain the food aid program amid looming government shutdowns that threaten its funding.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could run out of money roughly two weeks into a shutdown. This situation compelled the administration to act while lawmakers seem to stall. It’s interesting, really—while they’re busy, the program’s benefits are almost out of reach for about 7 million individuals. In the next year, these benefits aim to provide low-income women and children with grocery vouchers and connect them to healthcare and social services.

Apparently, the Office of Management and Budget found a way to redirect tariff revenue directly into the WIC program. However, they haven’t disclosed how much funding this will involve. Notably, the government forked out over $7 billion for food aid programs last year.

A vocal critic, House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have highlighted the risks the shutdown poses, especially to WIC recipients and active-duty military families potentially facing food insecurity.

If the shutdown continues, military families may not see their next paycheck until mid-October. Reports suggest that food pantries, like those at Fort Hood, Texas, are experiencing a surge in demand due to financial strains on these families.

“It’s American families who are bearing the burdens,” Thune stated recently. “WIC funding is on the verge of running out. As our soldiers are deployed worldwide to safeguard our freedoms, their families back home depend on that impending paycheck—and, regrettably, many are relying on WIC funds that have been put on hold.”