COLUMBUS, Ohio – As a partial shutdown of the federal government entered its fourth day, the House was planning to vote on a measure that would restore funding to a program that services nine million young women and children.
Pennsylvania and other states say they can operate the Women, Infants and Children program, at least through the end of October. The Ohio Department of Health says they have enough funds to operate the WIC program through mid-November. But advocates and others worry what will happen after that.
The WIC program provides food and support services for pregnant women and mothers of young children.
Hundreds of Ohio National Guard members are off the job because of the federal government shutdown.
“The Columbus Dispatch” reports 1,800 pilots, mechanics and administrators are being kept home and a training drill this weekend has been postponed until at least next month. Despite the furloughs, Ohio National Guard officials say they’re still ready to respond when called.
Ohio has furloughed 1,060 Air National Guard technicians and 759 technicians with the Army National Guard who do a variety of jobs, ranging from working on aircraft and trucks to processing government contracts, guard spokesman James Sims told the newspaper.