Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul and Representative Tonko Call on Trump Administration to Release Federal Heating Assistance for 1.5 Million New Yorkers

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Paul Tonko demanded that the Trump Administration release $400 million in federal funds that 1.5 million New Yorkers are relying on to help heat their homes this winter. Even though the federal government has reopened, the Trump Administration has not yet released funds for the federally funded Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). New York State will be ready to open the program for applications on November 24, but it will only be possible to start accepting applications if the federal government has provided the funds in the coming days.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page has photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 Good morning. Good morning. Please be seated. Thank you. Thank you.

I want to thank everyone who's joined us this morning starting with our Commissioner Barbara Guinn, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistant. She'll be joining me to answer questions later. Rory Christian, the Chair and CEO of the Public Service Commission. That's my administration, but I also want to say one of my great friends back to the time when I sat next to him in Congress, Paul Tonko, who has been a strong voice at a time when this region needs people who just stand up to do the right thing. And I'm so grateful that you represent this region with such heart and compassion. And I reflected - it was a year ago - we stood and talked about this very topic, but all we were doing was reminding people to sign up for energy assistance. A year ago, we did not have the same specter, the clouds hanging over this program, the storm clouds that exist today. And the world has changed dramatically in one year, Congressman. But what has not changed is your commitment to this region. Let's give our Congressman another round of applause.

We also have our Senator, Pat Fahy, who has joined us. Thank you, Pat Fahy, for standing up for these families. Our County Executive, Dan McCoy has joined us. Dan, appreciate this. Our Mayor, Kathy Sheehan, thank you, big champion for this city and this region for many years and I can't imagine life without her in the city. But we'll find out soon with our Mayor-Elect who has joined us, Dorcey Applyrs has joined us. I look forward to deepening our relationship as well, Mayor-Elect.

So, we also have someone you're going to be hearing from - Marie Mayfield, who is going to talk about what it's like to be not just a resident of Colonie, but someone who benefits from the programs we're describing. She also is a SNAP recipient. So, she's been through a lot of trauma over the last few months inflicted by the Republicans in Washington. She's also going to talk about what it's like to be a grandma raising two grandchildren in her house - a seven-year-old who needs some extra help and a 14-year-old. And I told her, my mom always told me that God will not give you any more than you can handle. So, you're about to hear from a very strong woman who has a lot of challenges in life, but has risen up, but also is a voice for those all across the state who are not in a room here today, but need people to stand up and fight for them, as well as all the advocates in the room - you know who you're fighting for. You're doing the right thing, and I thank all of you.

But I reflect on the fact that all across New York State, New Yorkers woke up to below freezing temperatures. A little early in my opinion, but I looked at the thermometers, the temperature all over the state - North Country, over to Buffalo, down to Long Island, the City, here in the Capital Region. It is a cold day out there, and that is a cold reminder of what we're facing and why we're gathered here today.

As I mentioned, when the Congressman and I stood here a year ago, it would've been impossible to imagine a scenario where we find ourselves today, with a federal government literally walking away from their responsibility. I'll talk about that, but I'll also talk about what we as a state, that is a compassionate state, that looks out for its people, what we are doing instead. But contrast that with an administration that's literally willing to leave people out in the cold.

And the shutdown - it was inhumane. This is a Republican driven shutdown where so many people were hurt. So many. And I heard from people all across the state - just so stressed out. They're already stressed out. But then to say that some of their life support, whether it's food or energy assistance was going to be gone, that they were merely pawns in a political drama. That may be over, but guess what? Could start all over again in January. This is a temporary reprieve. And who knows what'll happen then.

The Agriculture Secretary was talking about their big ideas and we talked about SNAP. They told us back in September that there was going to be $6 billion available in emergency funds because never in the history of this state or this country during a government shutdown have they eliminated or suspended food stamp programs. Never. Because that was just too much to comprehend - that you'd actually let people be hungry. And yet it happened now. The Secretary of Agriculture took down the post on the website that said there was $6 billion waiting for them and made it act like it never happened. And so we had to fight that.

But now - still dealing with the trauma of that. But, we head into the coldest months of the year, the shutdown delayed our ability to get home heating assistance out to people who need the support. They withheld $400 million here in the State of New York alone - $400 million from federally funded HEAP program - and it set back the application window because normally at this time of year, New Yorkers are able to be applying. It's early November, as I said, it's getting cold out. This is when you want to make sure that you have this in place. And it's amazing they couldn't come up with that $400 million, but $300 million for a gilded ballroom in the White House. That shows what their priorities are. It is shocking. It is shocking. And, so, it's cruel.

But let's talk about what the impact here in New York is. We have 1.5 million New York households that are going to be facing the possibility of entering this winter without the support they've been able to count on, and they, therefore, will not be able to afford their energy bills. Two thirds of them include small children, older adults or people with disabilities - again, the most vulnerable among us. So, what are we talking about? We're talking about a first grader in New York City who is sitting there shivering, hard to focus because it's too cold doing their homework. A new mom coming home from a hospital, Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, trying to heat up the formula on the stove and the power's not there - the energy's not there. Or, as I mentioned, a grandmother on a fixed income in a place like Colonie - Marie, who you'll be hearing from shortly.

Now, if you recall, Donald Trump promised on day one to lower utility bills. He promised a lot of things, but that's one stuck in mind. Prices are going to come down, utility bills are going to be lower. Instead, they're rising. And this delay in starting a program that's supposed to help people with those utility bills is just cruel - and we cannot stand idly by here in the State of New York while that happens to our people. Not now, not ever.

I have spent my years as Governor trying to make the state more affordable despite all the headwinds. And last year, we lowered middle class taxes to the lowest rate they've been in 70 years. We put money back in people's [pockets] with free lunches and breakfast for children in schools, free community college for adults going into careers where we have vacancies. Child tax credit - knowing that children under the age of four are pretty darn expensive. Right, Marie? That's when they cost a lot.

So we're focusing on affordability and also energy bills, but here we are constantly trying to play "catch-up" with the Trump administration. But here's what we're doing. During this shutdown, we dedicated more than $100 million to low income New Yorkers for SNAP, and we also fortified our network of food bank and pantry partners.

And also let's talk about energy. This is why we have to look at an all-the-above approach to our energy solutions, because we know the more supply we have, the more the prices will decline. It's just common sense. Same thing with why we want to build more housing. You build more housing stock, you have more apartments on the market, more houses, the prices go down. It's just basic economics.

But I also know that, very simply, we're not leaving people out in the cold and letting bills escalate. And that is why we have a thoughtful approach to energy. And I want to make sure you know that we are going to continue the resources we have in place so every New Yorker is able to stay in their home nice and warm, even when Donald Trump refuses to help.

So first of all, I want to urge all eligible households to sign up for the programs we have here in New York. The New York Energy Assistance Program, which provides monthly discounts on your bills. Now, here's what's frustrating. In 2025, we had over a million homes sign up for this. That's great, but we know that there's 1.5 million more that are eligible for this, who did not sign up. So I need everybody to help get the word out to everybody you can contact to say, "Sign up for this. Take advantage of this." The State and our Legislature, myself, we're committed to helping you, so make sure we get more people to look into that.

If you're a family of four and make up to $80,000 or a family of five that makes $90,000, they can enroll in these discounts. But that's not enough for us, we're expanding the eligibility into 2026. That'll raise the income limits so another 1.6 million will be eligible. So that's good news. And for people to learn more, go to ny.gov/EAP. Okay? Remember that? Is that on the sign too? There you go.

But also, we have State laws that prevent utility companies from shutting off power to vulnerable households during the colder months. They know that. And we're going to enforce that very intensely.

Let me just say this - energy assistance is not some radical idea. It's not dreamed up by anybody other than, guess who? Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan first put this in place, his first year in office. It's been supported by Democrat and Republican administrations since the very beginning. They've long recognized the humanity of helping people be warm during cold months, especially in places like New York, which get very cold. So 44 years later, we find ourselves with an administration just dead set on hurting people, and our own Republican delegation here in New York, not exactly profiles and courage because they have a voice, they have a vote, and they refuse to use it to stand up for cold New Yorkers. I wish more of them were like Paul Tonko, who's not afraid to do what's necessary to protect the people in his district and his state.

Here, we've done everything we need on our side to make sure the applications for HEAP can reopen on the 24th because the money has still not been released. You know that, the money has still not been released from the federal government despite the fact that the shutdown is over. That's point number one. So, we want to make sure we can get these applications out, but the federal government has to step up right now.

Today, I'm calling on the Trump administration and all Republicans to turn on this heat, turn on the spigot, turn on the gas, turn on the power, turn on the electricity. Let's start making sure that people don't have to be stressed out all across America about whether or not their families and themselves are going to be cold. Release the federal heating funds, which are essential, and join all of us here in keeping people safe and warm.

And while you're at it, just do your jobs. Just do your jobs. I'm not asking for more than that. It gets a little frustrating because we should not be standing here talking about this. We should be simply saying, "Another year, our State program, it's working. It's got the federal funds there to back it up. Everything is good." Why is that not the case? I don't have the answer, but I believe they will all have to answer for this before very long.

Americans are sick and tired of this - being punching bags, being denied food, being denied heat. And now health insurance premiums, have you seen them lately? Have you gotten one in the mail? Have you talked to somebody? Doubling. Where are people supposed to get the money? Yeah, prices were going to come down, except they didn't.

Their strategy is to take from the poor and give to the rich. I don't think that's going to hold much longer. Americans are going to rebel against that. But remember, that's Washington. Here in New York, we know who we are. We have heart. We have compassion. Yeah, we have a lot of grit. We also care about people deeply. That's what sets us apart from what is happening right now in our nation's capital.

In New York, we'll feed those who are hungry. We don't turn our backs on them. In New York, we protect each other. We don't block access to critical health care. And in New York, we don't let people freeze.

So, let's stand together. We know what we have to do. Despite all the storm clouds that are down in Washington, I feel here in New York, we're on the right track. We're doing the right thing and it's as simple as standing up for our people. Thank you very much.

Let me introduce Congressman Paul Tonko. As a former head of NYSERDA, he understands how important energy is to our lives. Is that correct? You had a history for Congress. Yeah, that's for sure. But ladies and gentlemen, this is a champion at a time when we need people to be real champions. Thank you, Paul Tonko.

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