U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, today questioned Fmr. Rep. Jim Nussle, the President’s nominee to be Director of the Office on Management and Budget (OMB), about his willingness to release advance LIHEAP funding for summer months, if confirmed. Senator Collins’ questioning came during the Committee’s hearing on Nussle’s nomination to become OMB Director. Nussle told Senator Collins that if confirmed, he would not only investigate the release of these funds, but would work closely with Senator Collins in the budgetary process.
“At present, there is over $200 million dollars in Fiscal Year 2007 LIHEAP funds that have yet to be released,” noted Senator Collins. “The advance release of these funds, during the summer months, would greatly ease the difficulty that an estimated five million low-income families that have heating and cooler their homes. I am pleased to hear that Rep. Nussle will closely investigate the LIHEAP program and its funding distribution.”
LIHEAP is a federal block grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. Each year, over 5.5 million low-income families nationwide rely on LIHEAP to assist with the costs of heating and/or cooling their homes, including more than 46,000 households in Maine.
OMB’s mission is to assist the President in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and to supervise its administration in Executive Branch agencies. In helping to formulate the President's spending plans, OMB evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures, assesses competing funding demands among agencies, and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules, testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with the President's Budget and with Administration policies.
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