Poli Alert Political & Civics
Related Articles
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the award of more than $385 million to help families and individuals with their energy costs.
The funds will go to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
LIHEAP provides households with energy assistance, including help to lower cooling and heating bills, crisis assistance, weatherization, and budget counseling to help achieve safe and healthy indoor air quality and temperature. LIHEAP’s assistance with weatherization and energy-related minor home repairs, including the use of renewable energy, helps reduce energy consumption and make homes more energy efficient.
“HHS and the Biden-Harris Administration are working closely to maximize LIHEAP assistance for the families and individuals that need it,” said Secretary Becerra. “This funding builds off of the historic ARP investment to continue to promote weatherization and clean energy. LIHEAP is essential to protecting the health of households across the country by ensuring safe and healthy indoor temperatures.”
This release is the fourth LIHEAP funding release over the past year. In May 2021, HHS released $4.5 billion in supplemental LIHEAP funding from the American Rescue Plan, which more then doubled the typical annual LIHEAP appropriation.
HHS also released $3.37 billion in annual LIHEAP funding through the regular appropriations process. Furthermore, HHS released the first $100 million installment of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Together, these funding releases total more than $8.3 billion – the largest investment in a single year since the program was established in 1981.
ACF Assistant Secretary January Contreras, who oversees LIHEAP, stated, “This LIHEAP funding release comes at an important time as households across the country continue to struggle with higher energy bills. The funds released today will allow us to carry out our agency’s mission to promote the well-being of the children, families and communities we serve.”
