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Tag: heating assistance

  • Energy assistance funds released to states after government shutdown delay

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    Federal funding that millions of Americans use to help pay their heating bills in the winter is arriving weeks behind schedule due to disruptions from the government shutdown, which ended earlier this month. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association announced Friday that $3.6 billion in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has been released to states and tribes.“This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue,” said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of NEADA. “Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.”Normally, states get this money at the beginning of November. Next, the money goes to heating vendors. Wolfe said in an email that the timeline will vary by state, but “most move pretty fast.” It can’t come soon enough. Wolfe said there were some utility shutoffs during the delay, and the lag affected many of the same families who rely on SNAP benefits for groceries, which were also disrupted by the government shutdown.Wolfe previously raised concerns that the funding delay could stretch into January, citing the Trump administration’s decision to lay off LIHEAP’s administrative staff earlier this year. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees LIHEAP, previously said it would work “swiftly” to administer annual awards after the government reopened. As of Friday evening, HHS had not publicly announced the resumption of funding. The agency didn’t immediately return our request for comment. The longest government shutdown in American history started in October and ended after more than 40 days. For weeks, most Democrats refused to support a government funding extension while holding out for various healthcare demands. In the end, a handful of Democrats crossed the aisle to support a short-term funding deal in exchange for a future Senate vote on health policy, with no guaranteed outcome.Get more from the Washington Bureau here:

    WASHINGTON —

    Federal funding that millions of Americans use to help pay their heating bills in the winter is arriving weeks behind schedule due to disruptions from the government shutdown, which ended earlier this month.

    The National Energy Assistance Directors Association announced Friday that $3.6 billion in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has been released to states and tribes.

    “This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue,” said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of NEADA. “Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.”

    Normally, states get this money at the beginning of November.

    Next, the money goes to heating vendors. Wolfe said in an email that the timeline will vary by state, but “most move pretty fast.”

    It can’t come soon enough. Wolfe said there were some utility shutoffs during the delay, and the lag affected many of the same families who rely on SNAP benefits for groceries, which were also disrupted by the government shutdown.

    Wolfe previously raised concerns that the funding delay could stretch into January, citing the Trump administration’s decision to lay off LIHEAP’s administrative staff earlier this year.

    The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees LIHEAP, previously said it would work “swiftly” to administer annual awards after the government reopened.

    As of Friday evening, HHS had not publicly announced the resumption of funding. The agency didn’t immediately return our request for comment.

    The longest government shutdown in American history started in October and ended after more than 40 days. For weeks, most Democrats refused to support a government funding extension while holding out for various healthcare demands. In the end, a handful of Democrats crossed the aisle to support a short-term funding deal in exchange for a future Senate vote on health policy, with no guaranteed outcome.

    Get more from the Washington Bureau here:

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  • Long-awaited $3.6B in heating assistance released to states and tribes

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    Approximately $3.6 billion in delayed funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, was released Friday to states and tribes, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.The federal funding for LIHEAP, which helps millions of low-income households pay to heat and cool their homes, has been held up during the beginning of the cold-weather season because of the federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12.“This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue,” Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, said in a statement. “Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.”States typically receive their allocations at the beginning of November.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the assistance program, has not yet issued a formal public announcement about the resumption of the funding. After the federal shutdown ended, HHS said one of its agencies would “work swiftly to administer annual awards,” blaming the delay on congressional Democrats.Wolfe said state agencies told his organization they’ve received award letters from HHS, enabling them to begin distributing assistance to households.A message was left seeking comment with HHS.On Monday, a bipartisan group of U.S. House members sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging him to release the LIHEAP funds by Nov. 30. Given the heating season has already started in many parts of the U.S., they said “there is no time to waste,” especially for households that use home heating oil or propane. Those fuels typically aren’t affected by state moratoriums on utility shutoffs during the winter months.Roughly 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP food benefits. Wolfe said delays in both programs during the shutdown “put many households in an even more precarious situation than usual.” While Friday’s funding release is welcome news, he said the need for assistance “remains enormous,” especially given rising energy prices. He noted that arrearages remain near record highs.

    HARTFORD, Conn. —

    Approximately $3.6 billion in delayed funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, was released Friday to states and tribes, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.

    The federal funding for LIHEAP, which helps millions of low-income households pay to heat and cool their homes, has been held up during the beginning of the cold-weather season because of the federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12.

    “This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue,” Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, said in a statement. “Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins.”

    States typically receive their allocations at the beginning of November.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the assistance program, has not yet issued a formal public announcement about the resumption of the funding. After the federal shutdown ended, HHS said one of its agencies would “work swiftly to administer annual awards,” blaming the delay on congressional Democrats.

    Wolfe said state agencies told his organization they’ve received award letters from HHS, enabling them to begin distributing assistance to households.

    A message was left seeking comment with HHS.

    On Monday, a bipartisan group of U.S. House members sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging him to release the LIHEAP funds by Nov. 30. Given the heating season has already started in many parts of the U.S., they said “there is no time to waste,” especially for households that use home heating oil or propane. Those fuels typically aren’t affected by state moratoriums on utility shutoffs during the winter months.

    Roughly 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP food benefits. Wolfe said delays in both programs during the shutdown “put many households in an even more precarious situation than usual.” While Friday’s funding release is welcome news, he said the need for assistance “remains enormous,” especially given rising energy prices. He noted that arrearages remain near record highs.

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