Senator Peter Welch Urges HHS Secretary Kennedy to Release $4 Billion in Frozen LIHEAP Funds

Urgent Call for LIHEAP Fund Release

• 📌 Senator Peter Welch is demanding the Trump administration, specifically Secretary Kennedy, release $4 billion in frozen LIHEAP funding.
• 💡 LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, is crucial for distributing funds to states to help citizens afford heating.
• ⚠️ Withholding these funds during the cold weather season is described as unacceptable, leaving vulnerable individuals cold and without confidence in staying warm.

Impact on Vulnerable Populations

• 🏠 Most families who utilize LIHEAP funding earn around 150% of the poverty level, approximately $23,000 per year.
• 💰 The rising cost of home heating fuel, between three and four dollars a gallon, makes this assistance essential.
• ❄️ In Vermont alone, around 26,000 people rely on LIHEAP to afford heat.

Bipartisan Support and Legal Responsibility

• ✅ Congress came together on a bipartisan basis to increase and pass the $4 billion in funding for the program.
• ⚖️ Secretary Kennedy has a legal responsibility to disperse these funds, and withholding them is considered illegal and cruel.
• 📢 Welch calls on President Trump and Secretary Kennedy to stop stalling and act with alacrity to release the LIHEAP funding for the benefit of people in all states.

Broader Applications of LIHEAP

• ☀️ For those in warmer climates, LIHEAP funds also assist with air conditioning costs, which is vital given the alarming increase in deaths from heat exposure.