Congressman Raul Ruiz and Congresswoman Lori Trahan Urge the Immediate Release of LIHEAP Funding Amid Government Shutdowns
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) and Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) led a letter urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy and Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Director Vought to immediately release the highest possible amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under the November 2025 Continuing Resolution. The members emphasized the urgent need to restore energy assistance to millions of vulnerable households facing rising utility costs and extreme weather conditions nationwide.
“LIHEAP is more than just a utility assistance program, it is a lifeline for seniors, children, and low-income families,” said Congressman Ruiz. “In my district, families face some of the highest temperatures in the country. There is an urgent need to protect people from extreme cold or heat. Without immediate LIHEAP funds, many must choose between safety and basic needs. That’s unacceptable.”
“Families across the country are already stretched thin by rising costs, and now millions are wondering how they’ll keep the heat on as temperatures continue to drop,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “No one should have to choose between staying warm and putting food on the table. The administration must act with urgency to get LIHEAP funding out the door, so families aren’t left out in the cold this winter.”
The letter is currently cosigned by 101 Democratic Members of Congress. The full letter can be found here.
LIHEAP is a federal program that helps eligible households afford heating in the winter and cooling during dangerously high summer temperatures. In previous years, nearly seven million families, seniors, and at-risk households have benefited from the program. However, recent administrative actions have placed the program—and millions of Americans who depend on it at risk.
Earlier this year, the Administration’s FY26 Budget Request proposed eliminating LIHEAP entirely, while reports in April indicated that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had dismissed all LIHEAP staff. These decisions have created confusion and delay, leaving it unclear who will approve state energy assistance plans or oversee disbursement of funds now that the Continuing Resolution has been enacted.
The lawmakers noted that LIHEAP is already an underfunded and oversubscribed program—reaching only about 17 percent of eligible households. Without swift action to release funds, millions of seniors and families could be left without critical energy assistance until early 2026.
Key Impacts of Delayed LIHEAP Funding:
- Families face dangerous exposure to freezing winter temperatures and life-threatening summer heat.
- Rising electricity and heating costs are straining household budgets, particularly in rural and low-income communities.
- Administrative delays at HHS threaten to postpone LIHEAP disbursements by months.
“Providing reliable LIHEAP funding is not a political choice, it is a moral and public health imperative,” Ruiz concluded. “We must act now to protect the most vulnerable families before temperatures drop, and lives are put at risk.”
###