The Big Four, consisting of Senators Schumer and McConnell, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are scheduled to meet with President Biden at the White House today to discuss funding and avert a potential government shutdown. The meeting comes amidst concerns over reaching an agreement on the emergency aid package and government funding before the looming deadline on March 8th.
One of the key issues at the center of the negotiations is the supplemental nutrition benefits program for low-income women, infants, and children under the age of five, commonly referred to as WIC. Senate Democrats are pushing for $7 billion for the program, a figure significantly higher than the $6 billion proposed by House Republicans and the $6.3 billion budgetary request put forth by the president.
