04/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/09/2026 13:29
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) joined Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and 72 of their colleagues in demanding the rejection of President Trump's budget proposal to eliminate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The members wrote, "Nearly six million low-income households rely on this program to heat and cool their homes. At a time when energy and gas prices are skyrocketing, and total utility debt has climbed to its highest since 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, to propose this elimination is unfathomable. We urge you to reject this program's elimination, and fund LIHEAP at the highest level possible for FY 2027."
"More than 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their energy bills, and one in five households report forgoing basic necessities like food and medicine to pay an energy bill," they continued. "Families need support now more than ever to afford the most basic household goods as rising energy costs and gasoline, food, and heating oil prices surge due to tariffs and President Trump's war of choice in Iran. Eliminating LIHEAP will further exacerbate the energy affordability crisis and the nearly impossible choices households face every day due to rising costs."
LIHEAP assists low-income individuals and families with the costs of heating and cooling their homes and helps to mitigate the impacts of rising energy costs and extreme weather events. Across the nation, LIHEAP helps nearly 6 million households afford their energy bills. Nearly 117,500 Californian households benefit from LIHEAP.
###