Amid Rising Costs & Growing Demand for Energy Assistance, 40 U.S. Senators Urge HHS to Release Remaining LIHEAP Funds

WASHINGTON, DC - As working families across the country face sticker shock from their eye-popping gas and utility bills, a leading group of bipartisan U.S. Senators is calling for action to help alleviate energy prices for those in need.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Appropriations Committee, along with U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Appropriations Committee, led a bipartisan letter with 37 of their Senate colleagues urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to swiftly release the approximately $400 million in remaining Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding that Congress delivered in fiscal year (FY) 2026.

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households pay utility bills, address energy crises, and lower costs by improving home energy efficiency through weatherization. Over the last year, nearly six million households nationwide received LIHEAP assistance to help them lead a healthier, more stable life and avoid having their utilities shutoff or having to make tradeoffs such as skipping medical care or meals or turning to unfair payday loans that lead to a cycle of unending debt.

Overriding the Trump Administration's attempt to eliminate LIHEAP, Reed, Collins, and Murkowski successfully led bipartisan efforts to provide a total of $4.045 billion for the program in FY 2026 - a $20 million increase over the previous year. Much of that LIHEAP funding has already been distributed to help struggling families and seniors on fixed-incomes bridge the financial gap and pay their skyrocketing utility bills.

On November 28, the Trump Administration released about $3.7 billion of that federal LIHEAP aid to states for distribution by authorized, local non-profit organizations that deliver social services, community health, and housing assistance to low-income, elderly, and those with disabilities across the country.

A nationwide cold snap, coupled with soaring home heating costs and spiking gas prices has put a squeeze on many American's finances, with those who can least afford the energy price shocks suffering the hardest financial blow.

Now, the 40 U.S. Senators are urging U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. to immediately distribute the remaining emergency LIHEAP funds. They say the federal funds are essential to help more Americans keep up with rising energy bills and help state-based organization effectively budget and distribute LIHEAP aid to those in need.

"We urge you to immediately release the remaining roughly $400 million of FY26 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under PL 119-75," the 40 U.S. Senators wrote. "Any delay in the release of appropriated funds would set back states' efforts to cover outstanding bills relating to unexpected delivered fuels emergencies, to weatherize low-income homes, and to plan for summer cooling programs. Our states are ready to deploy these funds to help vulnerable households as soon as they receive them from HHS."

Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources.

In addition to Reed, Collins, and Murkowski, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators: Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR) Adam Schiff (D-CA), Peter Welch, Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Full text of the letter follows:

The Honorable Robert Kennedy, Jr.

Secretary of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, DC 20201

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We urge you to immediately release the remaining roughly $400 million of FY26 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under PL 119-75.

As the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. According to the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, households are expected to spend 11% more on winter heating costs this winter compared to last year. With low-income families and seniors feeling additional strains on their household budgets, a timely release of LIHEAP funding is even more critical to ensure families do not need to choose between paying their energy bills and other essentials, like food or medicine.

Any delay in the release of appropriated funds would set back states' efforts to cover outstanding bills relating to unexpected delivered fuels emergencies, to weatherize low-income homes, and to plan for summer cooling programs. Our states are ready to deploy these funds to help vulnerable households as soon as they receive them from HHS.

We look forward to working with you on this critical program. Thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.

Sincerely,

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