WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Crucial food assistance for about 6.7 million low-income Americans has been put in jeopardy by a federal government shutdown that the deeply divided U.S. Congress shows no signs of resolving swiftly. "A prolonged federal shutdown that lasts longer than one week is going to start to put babies and young children at risk," Machell said. There are no votes expected in Congress on Thursday, which ensures the shutdown will last at least another day. Democrats, Republicans trade blameThe Trump administration has blamed Democrats for the shutdown and its accompanying risks to WIC. Before the shutdown, that budget request was ignored by the Senate as it approved full WIC funding in the 2026 agriculture funding bill, but that has not become law.