Legislation
Lawmakers Seek Funding for LIHEAP
Lawmakers in both houses of Congress have sent letters to President Obama in recent weeks, urging that he give special consideration to the amount of energy assistance for the poor.
As home heating oil is delivered, lawmakers are appealing to the White House over LIHEAP funding for fiscal 2013. (Photo By: Mark Hirsch/PSG/Newscom)
The bipartisan letters ask Obama to fund LIHEAP—the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program—at no less than $4.7 billion in fiscal 2013. That is the same amount appropriated in fiscal 2011.
“LIHEAP helps to ensure that people do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and paying for food or medicine,” wrote the 103 House members. Forty senators noted that LIHEAP has been “a lifeline during the economic downturn and rising energy costs.”
Both letters quoted figures from the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association that 8.9 million households received LIHEAP assistance last year, up 54 percent since 2008.
The push to restore funding to the program follows cuts made in fiscal 2012.
In the current fiscal year, LIHEAP funding is $3.5 billion. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a co-signer on the letter, called that “a substantial cut for some of our neediest families.”
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Tags: Legislation, LIHEAP