Collins, Reed, Murkowski Urge Swift Release of LIHEAP Home Heating Aid
Washington, D.C. – With freezing temperatures just around the corner, U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, and Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sent a bipartisan letter urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly as possible.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program designed to assist low-income families, seniors on fixed incomes, and other eligible households. The funding covers home energy costs, especially during the coldest months of the year when Mainers find themselves exposed to dangerous temperatures.
Collins, Reed, and Murkowski are leading efforts to include the highest level of funding possible for LIHEAP in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations package making its way through Congress. The Senators say LIHEAP funding is a crucial lifeline that provides targeted assistance to help millions of Americans stay safe during the winter.
“As state agencies activate their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter, it is crucial that they have the resources on hand to help low-income households and seniors as soon as possible, especially in light of high energy costs. As such, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds at the highest level possible, so that low-income households do not have to choose between paying for heat and affording other necessities like food or medicine,” the Senators wrote.
Nationwide, an estimated 6 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP in 2023, including approximately 30,000 Maine households. In Fiscal Year 2023, Senators Collins and Reed successfully led efforts to provide a total of $6.1 billion for LIHEAP, resulting in more than $54 million for Maine.
Mainers can apply for LIHEAP assistance through their local Community Action Agency. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. For more information or to apply for assistance, click HERE.
Full text of the letter follows:
October 19, 2023
The Honorable Xavier Becerra
Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
330 C Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20416
Dear Secretary Becerra:
As Congress works to finalize the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, we urge you to immediately release the highest amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under the Continuing Resolution (PL 118-15).
As the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. October marks the start of the heating season for many states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling additional strains on their household budgets.
As state agencies activate their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter, it is crucial that they have the resources on hand to help low-income households and seniors as soon as possible, especially in light of high energy costs. As such, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds at the highest level possible, so that low-income households do not have to choose between paying for heat and affording other necessities like food or medicine.
We look forward to working with you on this critical program, and thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.
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