The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the main federal program that helps low-income households and senior citizens with their energy bills, should receive as much funding as possible, as soon as possible, say U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and a bipartisan duo of congressional lawmakers.
“As Congress works to finalize the fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, we urge you to immediately release the highest amount of LIHEAP funding available under the Continuing Resolution,” wrote Sen. Collins and U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in an Oct. 3 letter sent to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Nationwide, an estimated 5.1 million households received assistance in FY 2023 through LIHEAP, which is administered by states and accessed through local Community Action Agencies.
Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through the spring of 2025 — or until the funding is exhausted, according to Sen. Collins’ staff.
“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,” the senators wrote. “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.”
They requested that Becerra “quickly release” LIHEAP funds at the highest level possible so that low-income households don’t have to “choose between paying for heat and affording other necessities like food or medicine,” according to their letter.
Sen. Collins and her colleagues helped provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP in FY 2024, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, her staff said.