During a Saturday session of Congress, the U.S. Senate has approved a spending bill that includes provisions to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and for the Weatherization Assistance Program. Senator Collins worked with Senate leaders to ensure that the funding increases were included in the spending bill.
Specifically, the continuing resolution (CR) includes $5.1 billion for LIHEAP--$4.5 billion in base funding and $600 million in contingency funding-- an increase of 50 percent over this year’s spending level. Maine will receive about $70 million. In addition, the bill provides $475 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, an increase of $250 million over this year’s spending level. Maine will receive $5.8 million.
Senator Collins recently announced that the administration agreed to her request to release an additional $7 million emergency LIHEAP funding. She has also pressed for increased funding for the Weatherization Program, which helps to reduce energy costs by as much as 30 percent.
Senator Collins, who worked with Senate leaders and the appropriations committee to ensure the increased funding, said, “Time and time again, I hear from Mainers throughout my state that they are truly worried about how they will afford to heat their homes this winter with the skyrocketing price of home heating oil.
“The LIHEAP and Weatherization Assistance Program provide critical help our most vulnerable citizens. It is a positive step that an increase in funding for both of these programs was included in the continuing resolution spending bill.”