Washington, DC – The American Gas Association (AGA) is disappointed in the Administration’s requested $2 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal year 2009. This is $600 million less than LIHEAP received in fiscal year 2008.
“At at time when home heating prices continue to soar, I am disappointed that our Administration wishes to cut funding for a lifeline program which is already woefully underfunded,” said AGA President and CEO David Parker.
Enacted by Congress in 1982, LIHEAP provides federal funds to offset the increasingly high costs for low- and fixed-income families on their winter heating and summer cooling bills.
“In 2006, Congress raised the authorized level of this program to $5.1 billion. However, only $2.6 billion was appropriated in 2007. An additional 22 percent cut from last year’s funding would have a disastrous effect on thousands of needy Americans. We call on the Senate to vote in favor of additional LIHEAP funding when it considers the economic stimulus package this week. We thank the Senate for recognizing and responding to the current crisis.”