HARTFORD, Conn. – As winter approaches, some Americans who rely on government help to heat their homes are facing uncertainty. A program called the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps millions of families with their heating and cooling bills.
However, some states are warning that the money for this program might be delayed. This is because Congress has not yet agreed on a full budget for the year.
This delay could be a problem for families who are already struggling. Many of these families also receive help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy groceries. With rising energy costs, any interruption in assistance can make things very difficult.
LIHEAP was created in 1981 and has had support from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress for many years. The program is managed by individual states, which receive money from the federal government each year. The amount of money each state gets depends on its weather, energy costs, and the number of low-income people living there.
Some states, like Pennsylvania and Minnesota, have already said that their LIHEAP programs will be delayed. Pennsylvania officials are worried they won’t be able to help the estimated 300,000 low-income homes as timely.
While the federal government works to resolve the budget issues, local communities are stepping up to help. Some states are considering using their own funds to cover the costs temporarily.
