Federal Funds

In other news, half of the Medicaid funds intended for patient care at nursing homes were misused, according to a state audit. And, privacy rules for voter registration records have changed in Utah.

With the United State's 250th birthday this year, however, domestic travel is expected to increase — pushing advocates and politicians to ask Congress to renew a key fund for overdue parks repairs.

For decades, lower income families in Cache County relied on this program to attain home ownership. After federal changes, that could come to an end.

In other news, state leaders are asking the federal government for $1 billion to support Great Salt Lake after President Donald Trump said it was "very important" to save the lake.

Democrats say the process of getting federal disaster funds has been slowed by the Department of Homeland Security — the same department currently under scrutiny for immigration enforcement.

The average U.S. household is expected to spend more than three times the rate of inflation on utility bills this year. States are receiving federal funds to ease the burden.

Rural communities account for about half of Utah's library systems. It's unclear whether funding for any libraries will be in a budget Congress must pass by the end of the month.

The new agency will be composed of the multiple fire programs within the Department of the Interior. Congress funded other wildland firefighting efforts, but not the agency itself.

The funding was cut, partially restored, then put on hold. Now the future of AmeriCorps is the air while lawmakers in Washington debate dollars.

Lea Palmer and Heidi LeBlanc from USU Extension's Create Better Health SNAP-Ed talk about changes being implemented due to the government shutdown.