Collins-led effort seeks immediate distribution of federal energy assistance funds - Ripon Advance

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) precocious led 30 Democrats successful calling for the contiguous merchandise of national funds from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps eligible low-income households and elder citizens wage their vigor bills. 

“LIHEAP provides captious assistance during the acold wintertime and blistery summertime months,” wrote Sen. Collins and her colleagues successful an Oct. 14 missive sent to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra. “October marks the commencement of the heating play for galore states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling further strains connected their household budgets.”

With accrued vigor costs forecasted for this winter, Sen. Collins and the lawmakers pointed retired that they secured an further $1 cardinal successful exigency backing for LIHEAP successful the president’s precocious enacted short-term continuing solution (CR) backing package.

“It is captious that this funding, arsenic good arsenic the important basal backing disposable nether the CR, is distributed arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable truthful it reaches these households successful clip for the wintertime heating season,” they wrote.

Sen. Collins led the missive alongside U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI). Both lawmakers are besides spearheading efforts to see $4 cardinal for LIHEAP successful the fiscal twelvemonth 2023 appropriations bundle that is presently making its mode done Congress.

Nationwide, an estimated 5 cardinal households successful 2021 received assistance with heating and cooling costs done LIHEAP, which is administered by states and accessed done section Community Action Agencies. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based connected income, household size, and the availability of resources.

“We petition that you instantly merchandise these LIHEAP funds truthful that low-income households bash not person to take betwixt paying for vigor and affording different necessities similar nutrient oregon medicine,” wrote Sen. Collins and her colleagues.

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