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On September 18, Congress passed the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R.6157), which includes funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a federal block grant program that provides money to low-income individuals/families to help them meet their energy needs. The program receives an annual appropriation from Congress through the Labor and Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill. The funding level approved by the committee is $3.69 billion and represents a $50 million increase over 2018 amounts.

APGA had signed onto a letter sent to congressional appropriations committees asking them to maintain or increase the amount of LIHEAP funding for fiscal year 2019; and we are pleased with the increase in funding. APGA continues to push for full funding at the authorized $5.1 billion level as LIHEAP assistance continues to play a critical role in helping low-income families meet their energy needs. Without LIHEAP funding assistance many low-income families face the difficult choice between paying their energy bills versus paying for other necessities, such as healthcare, food and childcare.

The next step will be for President Trump to sign the bill into law before October 1, 2018. For questions on this article, please contact Todd Brady of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-2742 or by email at tbrady@apga.org.