{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20141017001354/http://www.coons.senate.gov:80/newsroom/releases/release/senator-coons-joins-catholic-charities-to-call-on-us-health-and-human-services-for-faster-release-of-liheap-relief", "Senator Coons joins Catholic Charities to call on US Health and Human Services for faster release of LIHEAP relief", "2014-10-10", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 10, 2014\n                    CONTACT: Brian Cunningham (302) 573-6054 \n\t\t\t\t\t Senator Coons joins Catholic Charities to call on US Health and Human Services for faster release of LIHEAP relief \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\nWILMINGTON, Del. \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Coons joined Richelle Vible, Catholic Charities Executive Director, and family case workers to request the release of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds from Health and Human Services Department.\nFor more than 25 years, Catholic Charities has been the official state agency to administer LIHEAP funds for the state of Delaware which provides energy assistance funds for those qualifying for the program.\nA letter signed by 45 Senators across party lines was sent to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Sylvia Burwell, stressing that LIHEAP is the main federal program helping low-income households and seniors with their energy bills. LIHEAP funding is for the at-risk members of our community (over 19,000 state wide), and its absence could mean a choice between medicine, groceries, or heating the home.\nWhile the Delaware Energy Assistance Program does not pay for all heating costs, it provides a critical supplement \u2013 on average, a family receives about $600 to help with heating.\n\u201cChoosing between heating your home and buying medication for your family is a choice no one should ever have to make,\u201d said Sen. Coons. \u201cToday we called on the HHS department to release LIHEAP funds sooner so families who qualify can receive the help that they need.\u201d\n\u201cOur clients have been filing in for the past three weeks registering for their Delaware Energy Assistance Program benefit,\u201d said Vible. \u201cHaving these funds being released from Health and Human Services as soon as possible allow us to begin serving our constituents in a timely fashion.\u201d\nSenator Coons is committed to protecting funding for LIHEAP, as well as investing in other energy efficiency programs, such as weatherization, that can keep heating costs down for Delaware families.\nIf you or someone you know are in need of assistance to heat your home this winter, please call Sen. Coons\u2019 constituent services representatives at 302-573-6345.\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141017001354/http://www.coons.senate.gov:80/newsroom/releases/release/senator-coons-joins-catholic-charities-to-call-on-us-health-and-human-services-for-faster-release-of-liheap-relief"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0338821448385715, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}