Welch urged Secretary Kennedy to stop blocking LIHEAP funding 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, welcomed $20.7 million in federal funding for Vermont to support the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Nearly $4 billion in federal funding for communities across the country was unnecessarily delayed by the Trump Administration. 

LIHEAP is a crucial lifeline that keeps people safe and warm in the winter by helping low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes pay their energy bills. The program also helps reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency initiatives. 

“After weeks of delay, it’s a relief that federal LIHEAP funding will finally reach Vermonters who need it most. But let’s be clear: these funds never should’ve been stalled in the first place. While the Trump Administration sat on these funds, vulnerable communities across the country were left without a vital resource to stay warm during freezing weather. Not only was it illegal, but heartbreakingly cruel,” said Senator Welch. “This funding will be a lifeline in helping low-income families and seniors afford their home heating bills and stay safe this winter.” 

The Trump Administration’s release of this funding comes after Senator Welch joined 30 bipartisan Senate colleagues in calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to release LIHEAP funds as swiftly and at the highest level possible.  

Nationwide, an estimated 6 million households—including 26,000 Vermonters—received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP over the last year. According to a new forecast from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, home heating costs are estimated to rise nearly 8% over last winter on average, with costs for heating with electricity forecasted to increase even higher—to 10% above last year. 

States and tribes typically receive their LIHEAP allocations from HHS by early November.  Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. As eligibility varies by state, most applicants must have a household income below 150% of the federal poverty guideline or 60% of the state median income. 

While the Trump Administration has proposed eliminating LIHEAP, including zeroing out funds in its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget plan, the Senate’s Labor-HHS-Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for FY26 would provide a $20 million increase for LIHEAP to $4.045 billion. In the House of Representatives, the Appropriations Committee recommended a $10 million increase.   

In November, Senator Welch took to the Senate floor and urged the Trump Administration to stop stalling and release federal funding for LIHEAP. The Senator also recently grilled a Trump Administration nominee about the Administration’s actions to undermine the program and partnered with the Vermont Congressional Delegation in pushing back on the President’s proposal to eliminate LIHEAP funding entirely. 

Vermonters interested in applying for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program can use the LIHEAP Eligibility Tool to quickly identify if they might be eligible for LIHEAP assistance by inputting basic information like income and household size. Vermonters can also visit www.dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/fuel or call 1-800-479-6151 to learn more.  

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