As Winter Approaches, Durbin, Duckworth Join Bipartisan Letter Urging Biden Administration To Help Reduce Energy Costs
Letter
Dear Director Young and Secretary Becerra:
We appreciate the Administration's strong support for the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP). As high energy costs and increased demand for LIHEAP assistance
continue to put a strain on program resources, we urge you to include supplemental LIHEAP funding
in any additional request you submit for FY24 appropriations.
As the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy
bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. Amid
increased energy prices resulting from Russia's war in Ukraine and inflationary pressures, LIHEAP
has become even more important for helping families pay their energy bills without foregoing other
essentials. Last year, with your help, we worked to reduce this burden by providing $2 billion in
emergency supplemental LIHEAP funding, reaching a total of $6.1 billion for FY23.
Unfortunately, supplemental funding is needed once again as we head into another winter
heating season. Winter heating prices are expected to remain roughly as high as last year, and
LIHEAP applications are up significantly. According to the National Energy Assistance Directors'
Association, states are reporting increases of up to 20% in the number of LIHEAP applications since
last year. With limited funding, states will face tough choices about the amount of assistance they
can provide and the number of people they can serve.
In preparation for winter heating season, ensuring that LIHEAP is well-funded will help
guarantee that the program has the resources it needs to help as many eligible low-income
households and seniors as possible. To that end, we urge you to continue your strong support of
vulnerable Americans by requesting supplemental funding for this critical program. Thank you for
your attention to and consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Source