BRUNSWICK, ME – In an effort to help millions of low-income families and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills this coming winter, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined with a bipartisan group of 40 of his colleagues, led by Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), to call on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to quickly release as much federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) heating aid as possible.

“LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months,” said the Senators in their letter. “This funding has been an indispensable lifeline during challenging economic times, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and paying for other necessities like food or medicine.”

The Senators’ bipartisan letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell urged her to release LIHEAP funds without delay and at as high a level as possible. Preserving LIHEAP funding has been a continued priority for both King and Collins, and they have joined together to oppose recent attempts to scale back the funding appropriated for this critical program.

LIHEAP is a federal grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources.

The full text of the letter is below:

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October 8, 2015

Dear Secretary Burwell:

As state agencies prepare their Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) programs for the winter, we respectfully request that the Department of Health and Human Services release LIHEAP funds as quickly and at as high of a level as possible under the current continuing resolution.

LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. This funding has been an indispensable lifeline during challenging economic times, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and paying for other necessities like food or medicine. On average, low-income families and seniors spend a higher proportion of their income on energy, and for many states, October marks the start of the heating season, creating an additional constraint on these household budgets.

As the relevant state agencies begin to provide assistance for this winter, it is critical that they have the resources to assist low-income households and seniors as soon as possible. Therefore, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds and at as high of a level as possible in order to allow states and low-income households to prepare for the upcoming season.   

We look forward to continuing to work with you on this critical program, and thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.

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