Government Shutdown Impacts Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The government shutdown is causing a delay in the release of funds that help millions of Americans afford their winter heating bills.
In Pennsylvania, officials have stated that there is currently no funding available for the program. Ray, a preschool teacher, relies on the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to pay for her winter heating bills.
So my income itself comes down with all the holidays and the school closures and things like that.
Ray has relied on LIHEAP for nearly a decade. The program provides billions of dollars in grants to about 6 million households nationwide to help them pay their energy bills, buy fuel or fix broken heaters.
- The Department of Health and Human Services typically sends funds to states at this time of year to run the program.
- Due to the shutdown, this has not happened, causing Pennsylvania to delay the start of its LIHEAP program by a month.
Author's summary: Shutdown delays heating bill aid.