government shutdown

Baylee Watts, the Missouri Department of Social Services' media director, said in an email that the department is working with its electronic benefits vendor to distribute full November benefits.

During the record-setting 43-day government shutdown, Missouri Republican Rep. Sam Graves said he got a lot of calls from air traffic controllers — who had to work without pay, despite already being overworked and understaffed. But another shutdown could just be a few months away.

More than 40,000 Missouri food establishments and stores are estimated to be impacted by federal regulations on hemp products, which were included in the new spending package that reopened the federal government.

President Trump signed a bill to fund the government through the end of January, ending the shutdown that has dragged on for six weeks. Missouri and Kansas Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while Democrats had voted against.

The U.S. House will vote Wednesday to reopen the government. U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, who represents Kansas City, opposes the plan because it fails to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that would make insurance more affordable for residents.

Brittany Melugin, an IRS customer service agent in Kansas City, has been working even during the shutdown began Oct. 1. Melugin says she and her colleagues are experiencing anxiety dreams, and are afraid of taking time off even for serious medical needs.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be near an end. But weeks without paychecks and cuts to SNAP benefits put many Kansas Citians in desperate situations — and turning to local support systems like food pantries, mental health services and utility assistance programs.

After 41 days of a government shutdown, the U.S. Senate passed a set of bills to reopen the government. The House comes back to vote as early as Wednesday afternoon. U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II said he will vote against the bill because it does not extend ACA tax credits.

Food assistance benefits were cut off in November due to the government shutdown. That’s led a handful of state agencies to post messages blaming Republicans or Democrats for the shutdown on official websites.

As the government shutdown drags on, what’s the experience like for federal workers — not just the thousands who have been furloughed, but those left behind to carry on the work without pay? KCUR spoke with an IRS customer service agent about her experiences working through the shutdown, and her worries for the future.

The administration's appeal to the high court over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program comes despite new efforts to end the federal shutdown, which would render the issue moot.

Most air traffic controllers in the Kansas City area were already working 60-hour weeks before the government shutdown. Now, they’re working the same hours without pay. They assure travelers that the skies are safe, but it’s adding stress to an already intense job.