(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) applauded the release of delayed Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding, which more than 57,000 Granite Staters rely on to help pay their home heating bills. The announcement comes after Shaheen and Hassan joined a bipartisan group of their Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for LIHEAP swiftly and at the highest level possible last month.
“Especially as energy costs continue to rise, LIHEAP is a lifeline for New Hampshire families trying to stay warm during the cold of winter. I’m glad that, working with a bipartisan group of my colleagues, we were able to push the Administration to release LIHEAP funding and deliver relief for families,” said Senator Hassan. “Helping keep families warm during a cold New Hampshire winter shouldn’t be a partisan issue; looking after our neighbors is just what we do as Granite Staters.”
“As winter sets in across New Hampshire, the cost of basic necessities, from groceries to child care to energy, remains too high for too many Granite Staters,” said Senator Shaheen. “For families grappling with high prices, the LIHEAP program is a lifeline that means they won’t have to choose between keeping warm or putting food on the table. I called on the Trump Administration to release funding I helped secure for the program quickly and at the highest levels possible to ensure that Granite Staters can stay safe and warm in their homes. I'm glad to see that this funding is now on its way to New Hampshire.”
Nationwide, an estimated 6 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP over the last year. According to a new forecast from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, home heating costs are estimated to rise nearly 8 percent over last winter on average, with costs for heating with electricity forecasted to increase even higher – to 10 percent above last year.
States and tribes typically receive their LIHEAP allocations from HHS by early November. In New Hampshire, eligibility is set at 60% of the state median income, which is $62,252 for a two-person household or $91,548 for a family of four. Granite Staters can apply for fuel assistance through their Community Action Agency at www.CAPNH.org.
The Trump Administration previously proposed eliminating LIHEAP in its fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget plan, but Shaheen supported successful bipartisan pushback to save and fund the program as a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations committee. The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Labor-HHS-Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for FY26 would provide a $20 million increase for LIHEAP to $4.045 billion, while the House Appropriations Committee recommended a $10 million increase.
Shaheen has championed work to secure federal investments in clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives to lower energy costs across New Hampshire. In April, Shaheen condemned efforts by the Trump administration to eliminate staff responsible for administering the LIHEAP program. Shaheen was a key supporter of the Inflation Reduction Act and a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation that made landmark investments in energy efficiency. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Shaheen pushed for increased LIHEAP funding for Granite State families, contributing to the highest total of LIHEAP funding ever received in a 12-month period in New Hampshire history.
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