With winter assistance programs preparing to open, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have joined a bipartisan group urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to send states and tribes their federal home energy assistance funding before a November 1 deadline.
Oregon’s U.S. senators are pressing the federal government to release nearly $4 billion in home energy assistance before the November 1 deadline, saying states and tribes need the money in hand as they prepare to help households pay winter heating bills.
Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Monday that they had signed a bipartisan letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeking an early distribution from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Congress has already provided the funding for the coming program year. Under the federal spending law cited in the letter, the department must distribute at least 90 percent of its LIHEAP allotment by November 1. The senators want that money released sooner, as assistance programs prepare for the heating season.
The September 17 letter was led by Sens. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Its signers said state agencies and tribes are activating winter programs and warned that waiting until the deadline could leave them without the funding needed to provide assistance when applications begin. The letter is a request for early action, not an allegation that HHS has missed a legal deadline.
In Oregon, LIHEAP helps qualifying households pay home energy costs through a network of local Community Action Agencies. Oregon Housing and Community Services oversees the state program, but residents apply through those local agencies, which determine eligibility and award assistance. A bill-payment grant goes directly to the household’s energy provider. Eligible residents may also qualify for services that improve a home’s energy efficiency.
The program reaches renters as well as homeowners, making its funding relevant to households that pay their own utility bills regardless of whether they own their homes. It can help with heating and cooling costs, though eligibility, available assistance and the timing of applications depend on Oregon’s program rules and local funding. The state has not announced in connection with the senators’ letter how much Oregon will receive for the coming year.
Wyden’s office said approximately 6 million households nationwide received LIHEAP assistance over the past year. It also cited projections that households will pay more to heat their homes this winter, with heating oil facing a particularly steep increase. Those are national estimates and do not establish what an Oregon household will pay or how many additional residents here may seek assistance.
The next action rests with HHS. If the department releases the allotments ahead of November 1, Oregon and other recipients can begin distributing the coming year’s federal funding sooner. Oregonians who need help with an energy bill can contact their local Community Action Agency to learn when applications are available and what documents are required.