WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has released an initial $3.05 billion in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds for the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 – $35,328,047 of which will go to Maine. 

Last week, in an effort to help millions of Americans who are struggling with their energy bills as winter approaches, Senators Collins and King were among a bipartisan group of 46 Senators who wrote to the Administration requesting the immediate release of these federal heating aid funds.

“The LIHEAP program assists nearly 50,000 households in Maine and remains an important lifeline that helps prevent people from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “We are pleased that HHS heeded our call to release these critical funds now, which will help tens of thousands of Mainers to stay warm while still being able to make ends meet.”

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.

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