The federal government shutdown has forced state officials to pause a program that helps thousands of Wyoming residents stay warm in the winter. A second federal program that helps low-income residents buy groceries is also in jeopardy.
The Wyoming Low Income Energy Assistance Program helps eligible households by paying a portion of their winter home heating costs. However, the Wyoming Department of Family Services, which administers the program, has halted approval of new applications because it has run out of federal funding.
The stoppage comes as temperatures in Wyoming have begun plunging into the 30s as winter approaches.
“The program has been paused because there are no remaining federal funds to authorize new benefit payments or to approve applicants until Congress passes a spending bill, the federal government reopens, and funding has been received by DFS,” according to a press release from the agency.
After this story first published Thursday, DFS announced that SNAP benefits are also in jeopardy due to the shutdown. Specifically, those who use the program won’t receive their November benefits until federal funding is restored.
More than 28,000 residents relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to buy groceries in the most recent fiscal year.
“We understand the uncertainty about November’s SNAP funds may create a hardship for families and elderly who rely on this resource, and we want to give them time to prepare,” DFS Director Korin Schmidt said in a press release. “We will continue to work with our clients to process applications and renewals so that benefits can be issued as soon as Congress reinstates funding.”
The agency is actively working with local food banks and other community partners in the absence of the benefits.
During the state’s 2025 fiscal year, 44% of SNAP recipients were children ages 17 and younger, 36% were adults ages 18 to 59, and 13% were adults ages 60 and older.
The federal shutdown has already lasted two weeks, and there is little sign in Washington that things will change anytime soon.
Details
When the application window opened in September, the department experienced high call volumes. That may have been related to Rocky Mountain Power’s rate hike, Kelly Douglas, a DFS spokesperson, told WyoFile.
Before the funding ran out, DFS was able to approve 1,168 households for this winter. Those residents will be supported through May. However, they represent just a fraction of the 8,236 households the program was able to assist last season.
“This is hard for them,” Douglas said. “And we are doing our best. At DFS, we work directly with clients, and we understand the hardship. And it’s been hard.”
While approvals are paused, Douglas said new applicants should continue to submit applications and respond to requests from DFS for additional information. That way, Douglas said, delays can be minimized once the federal government reopens and the agency receives funding.
As they are with SNAP benefits, the department is looking to community partners in the meantime to help bridge the gap.
“Sometimes crisis prevention can be as simple as food on the table and heat in the house,” Douglas said. “We know this can help with all kinds of crises that come down the line. So we really work for concrete support for our families and individuals that need that extra boost.”
Both renters and homeowners can qualify for the program, but must meet the income requirement of no more than 60% of the state median income level. The amount awarded is based on several factors, including energy needs, income and family size. The program prioritizes households with children 5 years old and younger, residents who are 60 and older, as well as residents who are disabled.
Republicans and Democrats appeared no closer to an agreement on Thursday when the Senate again failed to advance a bill to reopen the government. A split between the two parties over extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces — which drastically reduce health insurance premium costs — led in part to the current shutdown.
Between 11,000-20,000 Wyoming residents are at risk of losing their coverage due to the anticipated cost increases, according to Healthy Wyoming.
Republicans have promised to discuss health care subsidies once the government is funded, but Democrats have rejected that, insisting instead on legislation.
Well that’s who they voted for. Voters count. Sad.
Those same programs would be slashed in the Big Ugly Bill if the democrats signed on. The republicans don’t care about the people.
The ‘conservatives’ are doing a good job of lining the pockets of the wealthy.
And Barrasso, Lummis and Hageman are still getting paid.
It appears that Wyoming’s congressional members prefer to shutter the government, (preventing a vote which will reveal pedophiles), than provide children with nutritious food and warm housing. It’s easy to ignore the needs of Wyoming folks when you’re lazing in a plush taxpayer-provided office 1,600 miles away. For those of us who volunteer at local food banks and see our elderly neighbors sit under blankets in their living rooms because the heat is turned so low, this is not some esoteric discussion, but pertains to real people suffering real implications of inhumane policies approved by uncaring politicians. Instead of incessantly mugging for the cameras, how about if our members of Congress attend a food distribution event in Wyoming and find out how those less fortunate than you survive day to day?
They are still paying ICE agents to do Trump’s bidding but they can’t get help to people in need. We elected cruel and awful people.
The Schumer Shut Down is sure working out…
You can name it the Schumer Shut Down if you like, but the fact is this requires negotiation. And in order to negotiate, two willing parties must participate. Congress has not done their job, yet they suffer no consequences from closing the government. Appalling, its like watching two children fight over toys, but instead they are creating havoc amoung the American public.
A clean funding resolution requires no negotiation.
The democrats have been trying to get republicans to the discussion table since July. Republicans were too busy covering their butts / or avoiding completely —all of the town halls. Epstein files, BBB, etc what a shame.
It’s called a clean cr for a reason.
Stop watching Fox. Makes you parrot propaganda designed for the brainwashed. GOP controls WH, Congress and SCOTUS. Hard to blame Schumer when all the Dems want are Healthcare provisions maintained that will save thousands of lives annually. All Trump has to do is wiggle his nose and the shutdown is over. But that would mean Congress is back in session, and there will be a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Trump can’t have that.
So I guess we should call it the Epstein Shutdown.