WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a continuing effort to help low income families and elderly citizens heat their homes, U.S. Senator Susan Collins is an original cosponsor of legislation that would increase the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) fund by $800 million. If enacted, this legislation would increase the LIHEAP base funding level by $400 million, and the contingency fund by an additional $400 million.
This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), is being offered as an amendment to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act that is currently being considered by the Senate.
“Our nation is in a heating emergency this winter. Families are being forced to choose between paying for food, housing, prescription drugs and heat. No family should be forced to suffer through a severe winter without adequate heat,” said Senator Collins. “Record high energy prices and less LIHEAP funding available per family, is imposing a terrible hardship on people who use home heating oil to heat their homes. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.”
Last week, the President’s Office of Budget and Management responded to a request by Senator Collins to release millions of dollars from its LIHEAP contingency fund. Of that, Maine is expected to receive $8.8 million to help low income and elderly families who are struggling with record home heating oil prices. An additional $136 million remains in the contingency fund and Senator Collins has requested that that money be immediately released to the states.
Each year, 4.5 million low-income families, including about 48,000 households in Maine, rely on LIHEAP to assist with the costs of heating their homes. LIHEAP is a federal grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. In addition to helping to pay energy bills for low-income families and the elderly, LIHEAP helps to fund energy crisis intervention programs, low-cost residential weatherization and other energy-related home repairs.