Bond Applauds Heating Help Funds

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kit Bond today applauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the release of $450 million to help eligible low-income homeowners and renters meet home energy costs.

"Too many Missouri families are suffering with higher heating bills," said Bond. "They need help and I want to do everything I can to help them."

Last fall, Senators Bond and McCaskill called on the Bush Administration to release unspent federal emergency energy assistance funds, which they did shortly thereafter. Without this action, these funds would have gone back to the U.S. Department of Treasury for use elsewhere.

The $450 million in federal funds released today were from Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) contingency funds, a federally funded program that operates in each to state to help low-income households with their home energy bills. The government now has distributed $2.2 billion in energy assistance this fiscal year.

Bond stressed that that while not among states in the Northeast viewed as traditional LIHEAP recipients, Missourians still depend upon this program to meet their home heating needs. Last year, 125,000 needy Missouri residents receiving LIHEAP were able to avoid choosing between paying heating and cooling bills or food and medication.

"These funds are critical to families struggling to pay their heating bills," said Bond. "I will continue to fight again this budget year for more low-income heating assistance funds for Missouri."

Bond encourages Missouri families that need energy assistance to visit http://www.dss.mo.gov/fsd/liheap.htm or contact the Missouri Family Support Division at (573) 751-3221 for more information about Missouri's LIHEAP program.

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