Reaction Of Sen. Patrick Leahy
To Administration’s Release Of Home-Heating Funds

…Jeffords And Leahy Urged Release Of Funds Earlier This Week
 

[(FRIDAY, Dec.19) – The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released $598 million in home heating assistance Friday to help low-income households with rising heating bills.  Vermont will receive $2.1 million through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).  Leahy has been a long-time advocate for increasing the amount of LIHEAP funds available each year.  Earlier this week, Leahy and Jeffords were among a group of Northeast Senators who wrote to Director of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson urging the release of additional LIHEAP funds this year to help those in need.  Many states, including Vermont, are suffering from reduced LIHEAP funds because Congress failed to pass the DHHS annual budget before adjourning for the holiday.  The newly released funds bring this year’s total LIHEAP funding to $1.45 billion.  In Vermont, the funds are administered by the Department of Prevention, Assistance, Transition, and Health Access.  Vermonters looking for home-heating assistance should call 1-800-479-6151.]

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“With nearly five feet of snow falling since the beginning of December, our thermostats are turned up higher than normal for this time of the year.  In some homes, the choice between turning the thermostat up and buying groceries is becoming more and more difficult.  No Vermonter should be faced with choosing between hunger and warmth.  More help is needed, but this new release of funds should help more Vermonters stay warm.”

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[Click here to view the PDF file of the letter sent to Secretary Thompson]