U.S. Representatives and Senators recently sent letters in support of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to committee leaders in both the House and Senate.
Both letters urge Congress to prioritize LIHEAP funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations by allocating the highest level of funding possible for the program.
The letters note that LIHEAP is chronically underfunded -- only having the resources to serve one out of six eligible households -- and stress that robust funding for LIHEAP in FY 2026 will ensure that low-income households continue to receive critical heating and cooling services without the threat of utility disconnections.
Protecting LIHEAP is a priority for APPA, and is all the more important given the Trump administration’s proposal to eliminate the program in its “skinny” FY 26 budget request. APPA said.
The House letter was led by Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Jim McGovern (D-MA), and is addressed to the chair and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
The Senate letter was led by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and is addressed to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
