Title
Urging the United States' Congressional Appropriations Committees to increase funding for LIHEAP in FY2017.
Body
WHEREAS, The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), established in 1981 as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, is a program through which the federal government makes annual grants to states, tribes, and territories to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households; and
WHEREAS, LIHEAP assists eligible low-income households with their heating and cooling energy costs, bill payment assistance, energy crisis assistance, weatherization, and energy-related home repairs; and
WHEREAS, LIHEAP is an efficient, effective program that helps the nations' most vulnerable citizens, including the elderly; many of whom are on fixed incomes; the unemployed, families with young children, and the disabled; and
WHEREAS, LIHEAP is not an entitlement program and does not receive increased funding as need increases. Congress must appropriate funding annually. While states set eligibility guidelines, the LIHEAP statute establishes federal eligibility for households with incomes at or below 150% of poverty or 60% of state median income; and
WHEREAS, In FY2016, 150% of the federal poverty guideline for a family of three is $30,035. The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC) reported that most LIHEAP recipients fall below the maximum thresholds and many LIHEAP-eligible households fail to receive any assistance because of insufficient funds; and
WHEREAS, In FY2015, 72% of the 6.8 million households receiving LIHEAP assistance had at least one member of their family who were either elderly, disabled, or had a child under the age of five; and
WHEREAS, The United States Census data of 2014 held that 46.7 million Americans lived in poverty; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, a study conducted by the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association found that 20 percent of LIHEAP households (1.7...
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