Oppose second year in a row of decreased funding for key low-income aid program

Washington (November 12, 2019) – Massachusetts Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren, and Representatives Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Seth Moulton (MA-05), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), James P. McGovern (MA-02), William R. Keating (MA-09), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Joseph P. Kennedy III (MA-04), and Katherine M. Clark (MA-05) are calling for answers from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on how the Trump administration is allocating state funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Massachusetts is set to receive $127 million in LIHEAP funds for Fiscal Year 2020, down seven percent from Fiscal Year 2019 and more than 14 percent from Fiscal Year 2018 funding levels. LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months. This program helped more than 160,000 Massachusetts residents in FY2018. 

“The Trump administration’s use of outdated and inaccurate formulas continues to disproportionately harm Massachusetts.,” write the Massachusetts lawmakers in their letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “It is frustrating and unfortunate that that Massachusetts continues to see a sharp decrease in actual dollars provided to protect the most vulnerable populations in the state, despite overall increases in LIHEAP funding and continued evidence of dire need.”  

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

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