WASHINGTON, DC – January 11, 2008 – United States Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu (R-NH) today (1/11) announced that the state of New Hampshire will receive $2,327,407 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding from the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The amount represents second quarter funding from HHS under the LIHEAP block grant program.
Senator Gregg stated, “The release of these funds for federal heating assistance comes at a critical juncture for New Hampshire as more families face record high prices to heat their homes. Although these funds will certainly help, more assistance will be needed so that low income households can afford to pay their heating bills. I will continue working with my colleagues to urge the Administration to release emergency funds included in the FY08 omnibus funding bill in order to help meet this challenge.”
Senator Sununu, who has supported LIHEAP since he came to Congress in 1997, said, “While this block grant funding will help New Hampshire families deal with this severe winter, it is imperative that the Administration immediately release to the states the LIHEAP contingency funds provided by Congress. Quarterly funding is not keeping pace with our state’s needs. Between rising energy prices and falling temperatures, our most vulnerable shouldn’t have to wait to get this urgently needed heating assistance.”
In December, 2007, both Senators supported and President Bush signed into law the fiscal year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that contained $2.6 billion in funding for LIHEAP. Of the $2.6 billion, $586 million is emergency contingency funding to help states that are facing severely cold temperatures this winter provide heating assistance for the most vulnerable in their communities. Gregg and Sununu have also joined Senate colleagues in asking the Administration to make emergency funds available immediately.
