Collins, Hoeven push for quick distribution of energy assistance funds

With winter approaching, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and John Hoeven (R-ND) called on Thursday for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to be distributed as quickly as possible.

LIHEAP grants help more than 6 million households in all 50 states pay for home energy bills, weatherization and energy crises each year, according to the Administration for Children and Families.

Noting that state agencies are ramping up LIHEAP programs for winter, Collins led a letter calling on U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to release LIHEAP funds as quickly as possible. The letter was signed by 39 bipartisan senators, including Hoeven.

“LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months,” the letter states. “This funding has been an indispensable lifeline during challenging economic times, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and paying for other necessities like food or medicine. On average, low-income families and seniors spend a higher proportion of their income on energy, and for many states, October marks the start of the heating season, creating an additional constraint on these household budgets.”

Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has spearheaded efforts to support the LIHEAP program in annual funding bills, including $23 million for North Dakota last winter.

“North Dakotans know well the additional costs that come in the winter,” Hoeven said. “For families struggling to get by, whose homes may not be well-insulated or weatherized against harsh weather, this assistance helps make ends meet. That’s why we are urging the administration to make the funding available, so state agencies are prepared to help out as soon as needed.”

The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 2018 that was passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee includes $3.39 billion for LIHEAP, unchanged from the fiscal year 2017 level.