Shaheen Leads NH Delegation in Welcoming More Than $774K in Additional LIHEAP Funding to Help Granite Staters Heat Their Homes
**Additional funding brings total to highest LIHEAP funding ever received in a 12-month period in NH History**
**Funding comes following Shaheen and Hassan’s push to prioritize LIHEAP during ARP & bipartisan infrastructure negotiations**
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed $774,475 to help Granite State families cover the costs of heating and cooling expenses. This funding is the first installment of the five-year $500 million investment in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) allocated through Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – which Shaheen pushed for during negotiations – and is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
This announcement brings the total amount of LIHEAP funding allocated to New Hampshire this year to $61,465,668 – the highest amount ever – through funding from the bipartisan infrastructure package, the American Rescue Plan and FY22 appropriations funding.
“As a lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, I pushed to boost LIHEAP assistance to offset rising heating expenses and ensure New Hampshire’s working families can stay warm without breaking the bank. Especially as we enter the thick of the winter season, this assistance can’t come soon enough,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m pleased New Hampshire will receive record levels of LIHEAP funding this year to help Granite Staters struggling following the financial fallout from the pandemic. This money will make a real difference in keeping households afloat, and I’ll continue working to ensure no one is left out in the cold.”
“This additional LIHEAP funding will help make heating their homes more affordable for many Granite Staters,” said Senator Hassan. “New Hampshire continues to see below-freezing temperatures and this additional LIHEAP funding will make a real impact on the lives of our most-in-need neighbors. During this critical time, I will continue to work with our state and local partners to get this federal funding out the door and into the hands of Granite Staters.”
“No Granite State family should have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table,” said Representative Kuster. “The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenges many families and individuals face with heating costs during the cold winter months – that’s why these much-needed resources are so critical. I was proud to help expand Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding for families across New Hampshire and will continue working to ensure support for those struggling in our state.”
“I’m pleased that this additional funding is being made available to help those with outstanding heating and cooling bills, on top of the increased LIHEAP funding New Hampshire has already received,” said Representative Pappas. “It’s critical we ensure anyone who has been hard hit by the events of the past two years has the assistance they need to stay safe throughout the coming months, and I’ll keep working to ensure these funds are available to all who need them.”
As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen has prioritized ensuring Granite State families and seniors have access to heating and energy assistance. Shaheen has historically saved and boosted funding for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which former President Trump’s budget proposals repeatedly sought to eliminate. In addition to 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. In October, Shaheen and Hassan sent a bipartisan letter that successfully pushed the Biden administration to swiftly release LIHEAP funding, including $25,192,436 for New Hampshire, under the temporary government funding measure ahead of the winter season.
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