federal funding

A spending package signed by Pres. Donald Trump will fund several programs at the National Weather Center in Norman that were once at risk of shuttering.

The Jan. 3 snapshot, though incomplete, indicates a stabler marketplace and less coverage loss than many experts and insurers feared.

Kansas received the sixth-highest amount among the states at $221 million.

Texas is set to receive the largest award from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program — with federal officials awarding $1.4 billion to the state over five years. The state received millions more in funding that it asked for in its application.

University of Kansas Medical Center nephrologist Dr. Jason Stubbs thinks his research could help millions of Americans who are living with chronic kidney disease, but he's still waiting to hear if the National Institutes of Health will fund his latest grant application.

Rural leaders who have worked years to improve broadband access said they were disappointed by the sharp decrease in federal dollars.

The federal funding package to reopen the government included a one-year extension of certain 2018 Farm Bill programs. Several expired Sept. 30 or would have been null by the end of the year.

Texas' application for the Rural Health Transformation program requests $200 million every year of the five-year program. The state is proposing the "Rural Texas Strong" project, which includes a range of proposals to improve health care access and quality in rural areas — such as workforce development and utilizing AI.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will begin furloughs starting Sunday, affecting about 2,300 employees.

As federal workers continue to live without work and miss their paychecks, some federal credit unions are stepping up to provide temporary financial help.