NH Congressional Delegation Announces $33.9M in LIHEAP Funds As Winter Months Approach

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), announced with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) $33.9 million in LIHEAP dollars, which were administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). LIHEAP helps families pay home heating bills and prevent energy shutoffs. Assistance can also be used to restore services, make minor energy-related home repairs and weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient.

“Especially as the winter months approach, ensuring Granite Staters are housed and in residences with adequate heating is crucial, so I’m relieved to see these additional federal resources allocated to New Hampshire. I urge the State to move quickly and get these funds out the door to applicants,” said Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds LIHEAP. “Democrats in Congress worked diligently to provide continued resources for LIHEAP through a variety of funding streams, including the emergency funding bill that was recently signed into law, the bipartisan infrastructure law, the American Rescue Plan and annual government funding legislation. I’ll continue to pursue every avenue available to deliver the tools our families need to keep safe and healthy homes.”

“As Granite Staters grapple with high costs, I’m focused on ways to help our families, which is why I led a bipartisan effort that is now delivering a 30% increase to New Hampshire for home heating assistance,” said Senator Hassan. “This relief will help more New Hampshire families pay their home heating bills, and I will continue working to lower costs across the board.”

“As energy costs remain high and we head into the cold winter months, LIHEAP is a critical resource for New Hampshire families to keep their homes safe and warm,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “I called for increased funding for LIHEAP, and these additional federal funds will help ensure Granite Staters who struggle to afford their home energy costs can continue to rely on this lifeline. I’ll keep working to lower energy costs and support programs like LIHEAP that ease the burden of high prices on families and communities in New Hampshire.”

“LIHEAP is a critical program that keeps Granite Staters safe and healthy, and it’s welcome news that this additional funding I called for is being provided,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “It is important all families can keep their heat on and maintain proper heating systems this winter, and this funding will help ensure that. I will continue to call on the administration to provide additional funding to our state, take further action to lower energy costs, and I will always support programs such as LIHEAP that serve our families and communities.”

LIHEAP funds New Hampshire’s Fuel Assistance Program. Granite Staters needing assistance with their energy bills should apply through their local Community Action Partnership at https://www.capnh.org/home.

In September, the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation celebrated $1 billion in emergency funding for LIHEAP that was quickly signed into law. Earlier in the year, Shaheen announced that Senate Democrats’ fiscal year (FY) 2023 proposal includes $4 billion for LIHEAP, which would be an increase of $200 million over FY 2022. On top of the $900 million in LIHEAP funds allocated through the CARES Act in 2020, Shaheen and Hassan worked to secure $4.5 billion for LIHEAP in the American Rescue Plan that was signed into law in March 2021 and provided $35,498,757 to New Hampshire. Senator Shaheen also used her role on appropriations and as a lead negotiator for the bipartisan infrastructure bill to push to increase LIHEAP funding for Granite State families, leading to the highest total of LIHEAP funding ever received in a 12-month period in New Hampshire history. Following the June announcement of electric rate increases approved by New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission, the New Hampshire Delegation urged the state to use the remaining funding secured in the American Rescue Plan to provide financial assistance to help Granite Staters afford their home energy bills. 

As a senior appropriator, Senator Shaheen has consistently secured federal funding for LIHEAP to assist low-income households in paying their energy bills and staying safe during the winter. Last month, Shaheen joined a bipartisan coalition of senators in a push urging for the swift release of LIHEAP funds. Shaheen also champions the Weatherization Assistance Program and other energy efficiency measures to help Granite Staters keep their energy usage down and lower their monthly bills. On Thursday, Shaheen hosted a roundtable discussion at Southern NH Services’ Sundance Village to highlight federal funds available to assist Granite Staters with home heating costs this winter. She also released a federal resource page to help New Hampshire families navigate the programs and tax incentives available to them to help keep costs down this winter.

Senator Hassan is working across the aisle to bring down energy costs for Granite Staters. During negotiations on the government funding legislation from September, Senator Hassan worked closely with Democrat and Republican leaders in Congress to build bipartisan support for LIHEAP funding, which led to the increase in funding announced today. Senator Hassan also recently led the New England delegation in calling on President Biden to lower energy costs by releasing oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve. Senator Hassan successfully included in the Inflation Reduction Act her measure with Susan Collins (R-ME) to help lower energy costs for families and reduce carbon emissions by expanding and extending a tax credit for energy efficient home upgrades.

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