Collins, Reed, King Push to Increase Funding for Winter Heating & Weatherization Assistance

Statement

In an effort to help provide as much assistance as possible to households struggling to afford their winter heating bills, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) led a bipartisan letter, signed by Senator Angus King (I-ME), to increase the amount of available federal heating assistance for low-income families and seniors in the final appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2016.

In a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senators Collins and Reed led a group of 36 senators, including Senator King, in urging the appropriations leaders to increase funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) this fiscal year. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $3.39 billion for LIHEAP in its Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, which is the same amount that was provided in FY 2015, and $197 million for WAP in its Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, which is $7 million more than the level provided in FY 2015. However, in their letter, the senators say the number of households eligible for LIHEAP assistance continues to exceed the available funding for the program, which saw cuts in past years, necessitating increased investment in the program.

"Access to affordable home energy is a matter of health and safety for many low-income households, children, and seniors in Maine. The LIHEAP program remains an important lifeline that helps prevent people from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine. In addition, the Weatherization program helps low-income families and seniors to permanently reduce their home energy bills. We must ensure that these critical programs are adequately funded and able to help our most vulnerable citizens," said Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee.

"For many low-income families and elderly citizens in Maine, as the prospect of another bitterly cold winter approaches, so too does the fear of not being able to keep warm. No one should have to confront the impossible choice of food, medicine, or a warm home, which is why LIHEAP is such an indispensable source of assistance," Senator King said. "And by improving the energy efficiency of more homes across Maine, the Weatherization Assistance Program can help lower energy bills in the long-term. Both programs have proven enormously effective in helping thousands of people across Maine remain warm during the winter months, and it's critical that we work to ensure robust funding for them moving forward."

Funding for LIHEAP and Weatherization is a perennial bipartisan priority for Senators Collins and King, who, together, have worked to support these critical programs. Last month, Senators Collins and King announced an initial disbursement of funding totaling $3.01 billion to states for LIHEAP, including $34.8 million for Maine. The funding was made available under the current FY 2016 Continuing Resolution (CR), which expires on December 11, 2015. In their letter, Senators Collins, King, and Reed are advocating for increased funding levels in the final appropriations bill, which is expected to be completed in the coming weeks and will dictate funding for the remainder of the fiscal year.

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