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Nearly $3.6 billion in deferred funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, was released to states and tribes on Friday, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.
Federal funding for LIHEAP, which helps millions of low-income families pay for heating and cooling their homes, was halted during the start of the cold season due to the federal government shutdown, which ended on November 12.
“This release of LIHEAP funding is necessary and long overdue,” NEADA Executive Director Mark Wolfe said in a statement. ,Family “Finally, they will start getting the help they need to stay warm as winter sets in.”
States generally receive their allocation in early November.
The US Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the aid program, has not yet issued a formal public announcement about the resumption of funding. After the federal shutdown ended, HHS blamed the delay on Congress, saying one of its agencies would “act expeditiously to administer the annual awards”. democrat,
Wolfe said state agencies told her organization they had received award letters from HHS, allowing them to begin distributing aid to homes.
A message was left seeking comment from HHS.
On Monday, a bipartisan group of US House members urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requesting the release of LIHEAP funds by November 30. Noting that the heating season has already started in many parts of the U.S., he said, “there’s no time to waste,” especially for homes that use home heating oil or propane. Those fuels are generally not affected by state moratoriums on utility shutoffs during the winter months.
About 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP food benefits. Wolfe said delays in both programs during the shutdown “put many households in an even more precarious position than usual.” While Friday’s funding release is welcome news, he said the need for assistance “remains enormous,” especially given rising energy prices. He said the amount outstanding remains near record highs.