{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-and-colleagues-urge-trump-administration-to-swiftly-release-liheap-home-heating-aid", "Murkowski & Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Swiftly Release LIHEAP Home Heating Aid", "2025-11-14", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=3", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 The federal government shutdown is over but as heating costs continue to rise, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), and Susan Collins (R-ME) are leading 28 additional Senators in a bipartisan push for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly and at the highest level possible. Currently, $4 billion in federal LIHEAP dollars are available to be distributed this year.\n\n\u201cAs Congress works to finalize the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, we urge you to immediately release the highest amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under the Continuing Resolution,\u201d the 31 U.S. Senators wrote.\n\nThe bipartisan group of Senators say the federal LIHEAP funding is a crucial lifeline that keeps vulnerable citizens safe and warm during winter by helping low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes pay their energy bills. The program also helps reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency initiatives.\n\nNationwide, an estimated 6 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP over the last year. In Fiscal Year 2024, Alaska received more than $21 million in LIHEAP to assist more than 17,000 households.\n\nLIHEAP applications are now open for all income-eligible households. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2026 \u2014 or until the funding is exhausted. For more information about LIHEAP through the State of Alaska, visit https://health.alaska.gov/en/services/division-of-public-assistance-dpa-services/heating-assistance/ or see a list of tribes that distribute LIHEAP assistance in certain areas of the state at https://health.alaska.gov/media/hawloap1/fy2026-hap-tribal-providers-listing.pdf. .\n\nIn addition to Murkowski, Reed, and Collins, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\n\nAccording 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 \u2013 to 10 percent above last year.\n\nFull text of the letter follows:\n\nThe Honorable Robert Kennedy, Jr.\n\nSecretary of Health and Human Services\n\n200 Independence Avenue SW\n\nWashington, DC 20201\n\nDear Secretary Kennedy:\n\nAs Congress works to finalize the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, we urge you to immediately release the highest amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under the Continuing Resolution.\n\nAs the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. October marked the start of the heating season for many states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling additional strains on their household budgets.\n\nAs state agencies and tribes activate their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter, it is crucial that they have the resources on hand to help low-income households and seniors as soon as possible. As such, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds at the highest level possible, so that low-income households do not have to choose between paying for heat and affording other necessities like food or medicine.\n\nWe look forward to working with you on this critical program, and thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "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://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-and-colleagues-urge-trump-administration-to-swiftly-release-liheap-home-heating-aid"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1746819838881493, "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"}