Latest news with #LowIncomeHomeEnergyAssistanceProgram
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Extreme heat is a threat to families. Trump's budget makes it harder to escape.
Eliminating LIHEAP would drive energy poverty to new heights. More families would fall behind. More households would be disconnected. Each summer, millions of low-income Americans suffer in stifling homes, unable to afford the electricity needed to run an air conditioner. And as heat waves become more extreme across the country, we are also seeing record high overnight temperatures – meaning that families who rely on cooler nighttime temperatures for relief from the heat are unable to get cool at all. Each summer, prolonged exposure to extreme heat leads to a rising number of hospitalizations for high blood pressure, cardiovascular strain, dangerous dehydration – and worse. At the same time, the cost of electricity to run air conditioning this summer is rising faster than the overall rate of inflation and is now at the highest level in at least 12 years. Many families simply cannot afford the cost of home energy. In fact, 1 in 6 households are now behind on their utility bills – collectively owing these companies about $24 billion. For these families, falling behind means choosing between electricity and food, between staying cool and buying medicine. This crisis is not confined to the East Coast or the Sunbelt, either. Record-breaking temperatures have reached the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and New England alike. In 2024, we experienced the hottest year on record, and the 10 warmest years have occurred in the most recent decade. These deaths are not front-page tragedies. They happen behind closed doors, in stifling brick walk-ups, in neighborhoods where trees are scarce and concrete radiates heat through the night. Opinion: Extreme heat is killing American workers. What will Trump do about it? A crucial utility aid to poor families is now on the chopping block The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is the only federal program providing grants to poor families to help them pay their energy bills. Yet President Donald Trump's 2026 budget proposal would eliminate LIHEAP. In 2024 alone, LIHEAP helped nearly 6 million households, many of whom are elderly, disabled or raising young children who would be left vulnerable in homes that are increasingly uninhabitable in the summer heat. And many of these families will be even less able to pay their home energy bills now that Congress has passed the Trump-approved One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes significant cuts to food stamps and Medicaid. Eliminating LIHEAP would drive energy poverty to new heights. More families would fall behind. More households would be disconnected. And during the hottest months, those disconnections would lead to prolonged, potentially fatal exposure to extreme temperatures. In the winter, most states that face freezing temperatures have policies to prevent utilities from shutting off customers due to nonpayment, protecting them when temperatures fall to unsafe levels. In the summer, only 19 states and Washington, DC, protect families from unsafe temperatures, and many of those protections are inadequate. At the very least, every state should implement potentially lifesaving shutoff moratoria during the hottest months of the year. Opinion: What is the right temperature to set your AC in the summer? Take our poll. US is too wealthy to permit these tragedies In a country as wealthy as ours, no family should have to choose between cooling their home and putting food on the table. No older person should die quietly in a sweltering apartment. No parent should have to decide between electricity and a prescription. Yet that's exactly what the president's budget proposal would force upon millions of Americans. Congress must reject that proposal to cut LIHEAP: Extreme heat may be a silent killer, but our failure to act would speak volumes. Eliminating LIHEAP would condemn millions of vulnerable families to real and measurable harm – at a moment when the need for support has never been greater. Mark Wolfe is an energy economist and serves as the executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, representing the state directors of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and codirector of the Center on Climate, Energy and Poverty. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the GW University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan lawmakers seek to reverse Trump's staff cuts at program that helps Americans afford heat, air conditioning
A bipartisan set of lawmakers is introducing a bill that seeks to reverse the Trump administration's staffing cuts at a program that helps Americans afford heat and air conditioning. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) are introducing legislation aimed at undoing staff cuts at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Trump administration fired every staffer who works on the program as part of larger staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and has proposed zeroing out LIHEAP's budget. The Lawler-Gottheimer bill, which was first shared with The Hill, requires HHS to have at least 20 people working on the program, 60 percent of whom cannot be contractors. In an emergency, 30 people would have to be employed as part of the program. It's not entirely clear whether the legislation could actually pass or whether it might be attached to any larger bills. However, it represents a signal that the Trump administration's move to fire the LIHEAP staffers is generating at least some Republican pushback. 'Nearly 6 million families nationwide — and 240,000 in Jersey — rely on LIHEAP to keep the heat on in the winter and the AC running in the summer,' Gottheimer said in a written statement. 'President Trump is hell-bent on dismantling this critical program, firing its entire staff back in April and proposing to eliminate LIHEAP completely in his budget to Congress. My new bipartisan bill will stop these reckless cuts and ensure that no family is left in the cold or heat without help.' 'I'm proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill to fix LIHEAP's staffing crisis, ensuring Hudson Valley families get the energy assistance they need to stay warm this winter,' Lawler said in a written statement. 'With minimum staffing requirements and smart use of contractors, we're tackling inefficiency and protecting our most vulnerable who depend on it.' Asked about the cuts of the program during a recent congressional hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that cost savings from President Trump's energy policies would make it redundant. 'President Trump's rationale and OMB's rationale is that President Trump's energy policies are going to lower the cost of energy so that everybody will get lower costs…and in that case this program would simply be another subsidy to the fossil fuel industry,' he said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. 'If that doesn't happen and Congress chooses to appropriate the money, I, of course, will spend it,' he added. The introduction of the legislation also comes as Gottheimer is running for governor of New Jersey in a crowded Democratic field. Both lawmakers currently represent swing districts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Bipartisan lawmakers seek to reverse Trump's staff cuts at program that helps Americans afford heat, air conditioning
A bipartisan set of lawmakers is introducing a bill that seeks to reverse the Trump administration's staffing cuts at a program that helps Americans afford heat and air conditioning. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) are introducing legislation aimed at undoing staff cuts at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Trump administration fired every staffer who works on the program as part of larger staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and has proposed zeroing out LIHEAP's budget. The Lawler-Gottheimer bill, which was first shared with The Hill, requires HHS to have at least 20 people working on the program, 60 percent of whom cannot be contractors. In an emergency, 30 people would have to be employed as part of the program. It's not entirely clear whether the legislation could actually pass or whether it might be attached to any larger bills. However, it represents a signal that the Trump administration's move to fire the LIHEAP staffers is generating at least some Republican pushback. 'Nearly 6 million families nationwide — and 240,000 in Jersey — rely on LIHEAP to keep the heat on in the winter and the AC running in the summer,' Gottheimer said in a written statement. 'President Trump is hell-bent on dismantling this critical program, firing its entire staff back in April and proposing to eliminate LIHEAP completely in his budget to Congress. My new bipartisan bill will stop these reckless cuts and ensure that no family is left in the cold or heat without help.' 'I'm proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill to fix LIHEAP's staffing crisis, ensuring Hudson Valley families get the energy assistance they need to stay warm this winter,' Lawler said in a written statement. 'With minimum staffing requirements and smart use of contractors, we're tackling inefficiency and protecting our most vulnerable who depend on it.' Asked about the cuts of the program during a recent congressional hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that cost savings from President Trump's energy policies would make it redundant. 'President Trump's rationale and OMB's rationale is that President Trump's energy policies are going to lower the cost of energy so that everybody will get lower costs…and in that case this program would simply be another subsidy to the fossil fuel industry,' he said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. 'If that doesn't happen and Congress chooses to appropriate the money, I, of course, will spend it,' he added. The introduction of the legislation also comes as Gottheimer is running for governor of New Jersey in a crowded Democratic field. Both lawmakers currently represent swing districts.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Champaign Co. program helping at-risk homes stay cool during extreme heat
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A program which aims to help Champaign County households keep the power on in the summer opens to applicants in a week. In a news release sent from the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission, officials said the Summer Cooling program was created because of the demand for utility assistance and exhausted funding from post-pandemic programs like Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Sholem Aquatics Center urging for swim safety as pool season begins The Summer Cooling program will support low-income households in the county that are at the greatest risk from extreme heat. It'll help an estimated 200 to 350 households maintain power in their homes. Interested applicants can apply starting June 9. Appointments will be available on a walk-in, first-come, first-served basis from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesdays, appointments are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are available at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana, at 2009 Round Barn Road in Champaign and at the Rantoul Business Center. To be eligible for the program, officials said: Champaign board to continue proposed solar farm discussion later this summer Applicants must be Champaign County residents The household's most recent 30-day income must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level The household must include a senior (age 60 and above) or an individual with a medical certificate documenting a condition that requires active power in the household The household's power service is disconnected or in imminent disconnect status. The Regional Planning Commission said applications for LIHEAP will open Oct. 1 for households with anyone over 60, with a person who has a documented disability, families with children under age 6 and disconnected/disconnect notice household. All other households can apply Nov. 1. Officials encourage those not eligible for the cooling program to contact their utility company and ask about other available programs. The Summer Cooling program is funded by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). The amount of bill assistance per household will not exceed $1,000, according to officials. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cutting federal heating assistance would hurt thousands of Mainers
Jun. 2—Despite summer's approach, many residents of Maine's northernmost county still have their heat on — those who can afford the energy, at least. "It was in the high 30s on June 1. So people are warming their homes now," said Jason Parent, executive director of the Aroostook County Action Program, which provides vulnerable people with utility bill credits and, rarely, direct checks, through the national Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. For decades, the program — also known as LIHEAP — has provided critical financial assistance for households struggling to afford heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer. About 45,000 households in Maine, including about 7,500 in Aroostook County, rely on LIHEAP to make it through the winter. But as Congress attempts to draft a fiscal year 2026 budget that aligns with President Donald Trump's agenda, the program's fate is uncertain. Trump has proposed wholly eliminating LIHEAP and a number of other support programs, weeks after his administration slashed federal staff responsible for administering the program. Last month, the House of Representatives passed its budget bill, which appears not to allocate funding for LIHEAP. The bill landed in the Senate this week. "The progression has clearly been in the direction of a seismic shift if not the elimination of the program altogether," Parent said in a phone interview Monday. "The thought of the program not existing at all, quite frankly, literally has me fearing that people will freeze to death in their homes." Dan Brennan, director of MaineHousing, said eliminating LIHEAP would be devastating to already vulnerable residents. The average income of a LIHEAP recipient is about $13,000 per year, he said. "We're talking people, households that make very little money to begin with and are having trouble making ends meet," Brennan said. MaineHousing administers the program within Maine. But Brennan was more optimistic about the program's fate at the federal level, noting its historic bipartisan backing and vocal support from the entire Maine delegation. He added that Trump unsuccessfully suggested eliminating LIHEAP in the 2018 and 2019 budget proposals during his first term. "I would be very surprised if both houses of congress decided not to fund this program. I just don't see that happening," he said. But "I'm anticipating they're not going to increase it very much, if at all." PREVIOUS FUNDING Maine has received about $41.6 million from the federal government for LIHEAP during the 2025 fiscal year — about 1% of the federal program's total cost — according to Sen. Susan Collins' office. About $26 million of that has been allocated for Maine households, more than $22 million of which had been distributed to residents as of Monday, according to data provided by MaineHousing. The latter figure includes about $2.6 million in Emergency Crisis Intervention Program payments, which are reserved for households facing heating emergencies and in need of immediate help. The majority of LIHEAP funds are distributed for use over the entire heating season. The rest of the LIHEAP funding goes to administrative costs and the four tribes that make up the Wabanaki Nations in Maine. Though the program touches all 16 counties, rural portions of northern Maine tend to receive more than their southern counterparts. Penobscot County residents have received just over $3.6 million this year, the most of any county, while those in Aroostook have seen more than $3.1 million, according to MaineHousing. Sagadahoc has so far received the least of any county, charting about $180,000 as of Tuesday. Cumberland and York have so far seen just under $1.4 million and nearly $1.8 million, respectively. Statewide, the average LIHEAP benefit was $509 in 2024, though that figure varies widely depending on income, home size and heating system, MaineHousing spokesperson Scott Thistle said. BUDGET HEADS TO SENATE Reps. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, and Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, voted against the budget bill last month, criticizing its impact on LIHEAP among other complaints. The bill passed the House by just one vote and was supported only by Republicans. It now heads to the Senate, where Republicans hold a razor-thin majority and tweaks are all but certain. Several Republicans have signaled that certain cuts, including to Medicaid and LIHEAP, go too far, or that the bill fails to bring down the national debt. Both of Maine's senators have spoken about the importance of preserving LIHEAP. In testimony before Congress last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that the Trump administration's overall energy policy would bring the cost of heating down enough to eliminate any need for assistance, rendering the program little more than "another subsidy of the fossil fuel industry," he said. But when pressed by Collins, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, Kennedy said he would commit to spending any LIHEAP funding appropriated by congress for fiscal year 2026. A spokesperson for Collins said that she will continue supporting LIHEAP and will "work to ensure that households in Maine and throughout the country can afford to heat their homes." A spokesperson for Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, referred questions about the program to an April letter King and Collins signed alongside nearly a dozen other senators, urging Kennedy to reverse the staff cuts. "It is an indispensable lifeline, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and affording other necessities like food and medicine," the senators wrote. Gov. Janet Mills encouraged Congress to "protect and preserve" the program in a written statement Monday. Brennan, director of MaineHousing, said Collins' role on the Appropriations Committee was a particularly good sign for LIHEAP's fate. "It is just a matter now of watching the House and the Senate and what they decide to fund the program at," Brennan said. "In the meantime, we are moving ahead and preparing as if there will be a program." Copy the Story Link
