Collins, Reed lead bipartisan effort to restore LIHEAP funding

A bipartisan group of 34 senators, led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), is working to ensure that low-income Americans in need of heating assistance are not forgotten while the government is on the verge of a potential shutdown.

While Congress considers a short-term spending plan, Collins and Reed and their fellow senators are seeking to ensure that vital federal heating aid funds are restored.

The 32 senators sent a letter calling for a level of $3.46 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in the continuing resolution to fund the government past Sept. 30. The program, without the Reed-Collins LIHEAP fix, could be reduced to as little as $2.82 billion while the cold winter months loom.

“In order to prevent added uncertainty and a decrease in the amount of funding available for grant awards compared to last year, we ask that you include language in the continuing resolution specifically directing the Department of Health and Human Services to release the full amount of each state’s LIHEAP allocation at the fiscal year 2012 level,” the bipartisan letter said. “This would follow past precedent. The fiscal year 2013 Continuing Appropriations Act enacted in March extended fiscal year 2012 funding through Sept. 30 and directed HHS to distribute funds under the same formula. We believe that the continued economic challenges, seasonality of the LIHEAP program, and anticipated length of the upcoming continuing resolution necessitates this specific stipulation for LIHEAP once again.”

Collins called the LIHEAP program one of the most effective tools to aid senior citizens and struggling households in keeping warm during the winter.

“As energy costs have increased, LIHEAP funding has been an important lifeline that helps prevent people from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine,” Collins said.

Collins and Reed, who both serve on the Appropriations Committee, successfully increased LIHEAP funding in August for the fiscal year 2014 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill to a total of $3.61 billion.