Commonwealth to receive more than $114 million in early release of federal heating aid

Washington (November 4, 2019) – Massachusetts Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren today announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) release of $114 million of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding to Massachusetts. This funding, which includes $171,424 for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, represents a decrease in funding for the second straight year under the Trump administration.

“This early release of LIHEAP funding is critical for Massachusetts to prepare assistance for the upcoming winter for our most vulnerable residents,” said Senators Markey and Warren. “While this funding is always welcome when released early, we are concerned that, for the second year in a row, Massachusetts is experiencing a significant decrease in its funding allocation despite level funding for the overall LIHEAP program. It makes no sense for the Commonwealth to face yet another year of funding cuts. We should not force Massachusetts families to choose between chills and bills during the winter season.”

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. More information about LIHEAP is available on the HHS website here. Recently, the Senators called on HHS to quickly release the funding for FY2020 so that state agencies could prepare their LIHEAP programs for the upcoming winter

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