HARTFORD, Conn. — Approximately $3.6 billion in delayed funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was released Friday to states and tribes, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA). This funding is crucial for millions of low-income households in their efforts to heat and cool their homes, having been held up earlier this season due to a federal government shutdown that concluded on November 12.
Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, emphasized the importance of this funding, stating, “This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue. Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.” Typically, states receive their allocations at the beginning of November, making this delay particularly concerning.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the assistance program, has not yet issued a formal announcement pertaining to the resumption of funding. However, following the end of the federal shutdown, HHS indicated that they would “work swiftly to administer annual awards,” attributing the delay to congressional Democrats’ actions.
Wolfe noted that state agencies have started receiving award letters from HHS, allowing them to begin distributing assistance to households in need. A bipartisan group of House members has urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to expedite the release of LIHEAP funds by November 30, given that the heating season has already begun for many areas. The urgency is heightened for households reliant on heating oil or propane, which are generally not protected by state moratoriums against utility shutoffs during winter.
Approximately 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP food benefits. Wolfe remarked that the convergence of delays in both programs during the shutdown has placed many households in a precarious position. Although the release of this funding is a step in the right direction, he noted that the need for assistance remains significant, particularly in light of escalating energy prices and record-high energy debt levels.
Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, emphasized the importance of this funding, stating, “This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue. Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.” Typically, states receive their allocations at the beginning of November, making this delay particularly concerning.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the assistance program, has not yet issued a formal announcement pertaining to the resumption of funding. However, following the end of the federal shutdown, HHS indicated that they would “work swiftly to administer annual awards,” attributing the delay to congressional Democrats’ actions.
Wolfe noted that state agencies have started receiving award letters from HHS, allowing them to begin distributing assistance to households in need. A bipartisan group of House members has urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to expedite the release of LIHEAP funds by November 30, given that the heating season has already begun for many areas. The urgency is heightened for households reliant on heating oil or propane, which are generally not protected by state moratoriums against utility shutoffs during winter.
Approximately 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP food benefits. Wolfe remarked that the convergence of delays in both programs during the shutdown has placed many households in a precarious position. Although the release of this funding is a step in the right direction, he noted that the need for assistance remains significant, particularly in light of escalating energy prices and record-high energy debt levels.
