Schumer: Every Dollar Counts To Keep Southern Tier Seniors & Families Warm This Winter

Statement

Standing at Tioga Opportunities Inc. in Owego, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately provide New York the maximum amount of funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Schumer said this critical home heating assistance program is vital for the Southern Tier's most vulnerable seniors and families, who depend on this money due to the rising cost of home heating. Schumer said that with the harsh winter just around the corner, residents should not have to choose between paying their energy bills and purchasing other necessities, like food or medicine for their families.

"For hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who struggle to heat their homes, many of whom are seniors on fixed budgets, LIHEAP is a critical resource that helps offset the rising cost of heat and energy bills. With winter right around the corner, low-income households and seniors rely on this program to avoid making the agonizing decision over whether to pay energy bills or put food on the table," saidSchumer. "That is why I am urging HHS to release LIHEAP funds at the highest amount possible, and as soon as possible. Doing so will help those in Tioga, Broome, Tompkins and other Southern Tier households, from Harpursville to Waverly, pay their bills on time and ensure we do not turn a cold shoulder to our most vulnerable residents during an already harsh winter."

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