WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) joined 115 House members in a letter to House and Senate Leadership requesting increased funding totaling $1.6 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Connecticut, eligible households typically receive benefits ranging from $180 to $530 paid directly to the utility or fuel provider.
The request comes as the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill presented by House Republicans proposes a roughly a 65% percent cut to the program.
“According to recent reports, approximately 424,000 Connecticut households face unaffordable home energy costs. For these families, LIHEAP is a critical lifeline that prevents them from making the impossible choice between buying groceries, keeping the lights on, or heating their home,” said Congresswoman Hayes (CT-05). “I joined my colleagues in requesting additional LIHEAP funding in any government funding bill to ensure all Connecticut families can have a warm home every winter.”
In Fiscal Year 2023, the LIHEAP program distributed a total of more than $4.5 billion in home heating assistance to families across the United States, including $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding and an additional $1 billion from the government funding package passed in September 2022.
Despite significant federal investment, LIHEAP continues to be underfunded, with just 20 percent of eligible households currently receiving assistance through the program.
Connecticut was recently awarded a total of $7,081,189.00 in LIHEAP funding for this winter, including $70,040,439 in formula funding and an additional $2,040,750 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To assist households seeking to determine their eligibility for LIHEAP funding, HHS recently released a tool in English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, and simplified Chinese for households to quickly determine their eligibility.
A copy of the request sent can be accessed HERE.
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