Pappas Joins Bipartisan Push to Increase Emergency Supplemental Funding for LIHEAP
Press Release
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined a bipartisan, bicameral push to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps over 5.3 million households nationwide afford their energy bills.
The letter was sent to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees urging the Committees to address the expected surge in home energy prices with emergency supplemental funding for LIHEAP. In total, the letter was signed by a total of 58 Members of Congress.
"In light of skyrocketing home energy bills and additional increases expected for this winter, we urge the Committee to provide emergency supplemental funding for this critical program," the 58 members of Congress wrote.
"The Committee's efforts to increase the annual appropriation for LIHEAP for Fiscal Year 2023 represents an important commitment to restoring funding to the levels reached over a decade ago. However, because of the run-up in natural gas, heating oil, and electricity prices, we are deeply concerned that we will not meet the needs of low-income families this winter," the members continued. "The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index recently reported alarming increases across all sources of home energy fuel over the past 12 months. Natural gas is up 38.4 percent from this time last year -- the largest such increase since the period ending in October 2005. Electricity is up 13.7 percent -- the largest such increase since the period ending in April 2006 -- and heating oil is up 98.5 percent."
Annual federal funding levels are currently set to reach about $4 billion in fiscal year 2023. However, more is needed as cost increases have diminished the purchasing power of LIHEAP dollars. The price of home heating oil nearly doubled in the past year, and electricity and natural gas prices are projected to rise significantly.
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