Government shutdown ends, and state budget passes after months of delay

LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — On the same day, federal legislators ended a 43-day-long government shutdown, and Pennsylvania state legislators ended a 134-day budget delay.

As a result of the government shutdown and the state's budget delay, funding for SNAP and schools ceased.

"SNAP is such an important part of how we manage on the charitable food side, and we saw a 40% increase of individuals coming to access food within the charitable food network,” said Shila Ulrich, the CEO of Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

"Unfortunately, some school districts across the Commonwealth, one of my neighbors here, Northwest Area School District, they were wondering if they were going to make it to Thanksgiving,” said Nathan Barrett, the outgoing superintendent of Hanover Area School District and current educ