Government shutdown threatens Alaska Natives

On October 30th, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs heard from Native leaders about the devastating impact of the government shutdown on their communities, particularly in rural Alaska. With the shutdown nearing thirty days, critical programs like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are at risk of running out, leaving families to choose between heating and food. The uncertainty of the full impact and potential delays in releasing funds could lead to thousands of Alaska families seeing nothing in their assistance accounts, exacerbating food insecurity and hardship for those delivering crucial services. Native leaders and senators are urging a quick resolution to restore funding and ensure critical programs can reach those who need them before the long winter ahead gets even tougher for those already on the edge. DNN | The Daily News Now! The world’s first global local news network. Every city. Every story. AI powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.