HHS Announces $4.5 Billion to Assist with Heating Costs

According to a Nov. 2 press release, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announced $4.5 billion in assistance to help lower heating costs for American families this winter. The announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to lower costs for working and middle-class American families.

The release states that “The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds—distributed by ACF’s Office of Community Services—will go to states, territories, and tribes. In addition to subsidizing home heating costs this winter and covering unpaid utility bills, the federal program will help families make cost-effective home energy repairs to lower their heating and cooling bills.”

Further, “The funds announced today are a combination of regular appropriations by Congress, $100 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and additional emergency funding Congress included in the September continuing resolution following the Biden-Harris Administration’s request for these funds.”

Over the past year, according to the release, LIHEAP assisted more than 5.3 million households with heating, cooling, and weatherization services—especially during the winter and summer months, as many Americans experienced extreme weather and natural disasters.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to lowering energy costs for American families, especially as winter approaches and Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to pressure the global energy market,” the release adds. “President Biden is releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower gas prices and calling on energy companies to pass on their savings from lower oil and wholesale gas prices to consumers. He also secured the Inflation Reduction Act, which utility CEOs say will save American families hundreds of dollars a month on utility bills.”

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra was quoted in the release saying that “For more than 40 years, this program has helped low-income families pay their home heating and cooling bills. As heating costs increase, it is more important than ever to help families struggling to make ends meet. With this funding, we will help protect the health and well-being of Americans by keeping them safe and warm this winter.”