{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/192324-awarded-help-utility-bills", "$192,324 awarded to help with utility bills", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Independent", "Senate", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$192,324 awarded to help with utility bills                                           \n              Oct 17, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Low income families in the Northern Mariana Islands will continue to receive increased LIHEAP assistance in the fiscal year that began this month. The Department of Health and Human Services has released $192,324 for the Low Income Household Energy Assistance Program to the Commonwealth\u2019s Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. This is 90 percent of expected annual funding; the rest should be appropriated when Congress resumes in November. About 120 Northern Marianas households were added to LIHEAP last year as a result of a 400 percent increase in funding I was able to secure, and monthly help with CUC bills doubled on average for the 420 Marianas households now eligible for LIHEAP. I convinced then HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to use her administrative authority to increase the funding by providing data showing that poverty levels in the U.S. insular areas are three to five times the national average and that the price of electricity is two to four times higher. Households may also use the LIHEAP grants to make home improvements that save energy and lower utility bills. Congratulations DCCA!", 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": ["http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/192324-awarded-help-utility-bills"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.9326418191194534, "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"}