Rep. Kelly Commends Release of LIHEAP Funds to Keep Nation’s Most Vulnerable Warm
WASHINGTON — Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) issued the following statement today regarding yesterday’s announcement by the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that it would release $454 million to states in support of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Rep. Kelly had urged expedient release of these funds which were appropriated with the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, commonly known as the Omnibus. As a result, Pennsylvania will receive $27,468,521, the second largest additional amount of any state. The $454 million is in addition to $2.9 billion in LIHEAP funding that was released in November.
“When it comes to protecting our most vulnerable households, we cannot simply hope that the worst of this winter’s weather is behind us. The release of these funds should give Pennsylvania’s seniors and families some peace of mind that as the cold weather continues they will have some relief from high energy prices.
“Rural families in Western Pennsylvania which rely on propane to heat their homes have called my office asking what we can do to help. The federal government and Governor Corbett have done the right thing by easing transportation regulations to get propane supplies to their destinations. The release of these LIHEAP funds is another proper response to help ease the burden on those low income families who could not have anticipated propane prices spiking as high as they have this winter.”
NOTE: The combination of this winter’s historically cold temperatures and high fuel prices, including a sharp spike in propane costs, had caused some Midwestern and Northeastern states to exhaust most or all of their allotted funds making the expedient release of the remaining $454 million even more urgent. Households which use propane for heating have been especially hard hit as prices had spiked to unpredictably high levels this winter.
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