January 17, 2014—Earlier this week, Congress easily passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that contains $3.42 billion for LIHEAP. The total represents an increase of nearly $170 million from what the program received in Fiscal Year 2013.
The bill now moves to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it. The $3.42 billion in LIHEAP funding is close to the $3.5 billion the president originally proposed in his Fiscal Year 2014 budget.
The bill restores federal spending levels to those in the final years of the George W. Bush and helps ease the cuts made under sequestration earlier this year. The sequester reductions cut LIHEAP funding by about $155 million. NEADA reported that amount led to 300,000 low-income households not receiving energy assistance.
Sources: Washington Post, NEADA, White House, US House Appropriations Committee
