Senators demand more heating assistance from White House

A bipartisan group of senators urged the White House to increase federal heating assistance for low-income families and seniors.

Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) led a group of 43 senators in writing President Obama asking him to ensure fiscal year 2016 funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is at least $4.7 billion.

{mosads}“Funding for LIHEAP is not keeping up with demand. We are doing everything we can to stretch these federal dollars, but more families are in need and we need to protect them during the cold winter months,” Reed said. “We must keep the pressure on this administration to robustly fund this critical program so that thousands of families can keep their heat on in the winter.”

The senators said LIHEAP is needed to help people pay for their heating bills during harsh winter months. They said even with current LIHEAP funding some families are still struggling to pay for the basic necessity of home heating.

“The LIHEAP program is one of our most effective tools to help senior citizens and less-fortunate households keep warm during the winter,” Collins said. “Energy costs remain high and LIHEAP funding is a vital lifeline that helps prevent people from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine.”