Pennsylvania HR 350: A Resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to maintain funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program known as LIHEAP.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2488 PRINTER'S NO. 2536
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 350
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY FIEDLER, MATZIE, HILL-EVANS, SCHLOSSBERG, PIELLI,
WAXMAN, TAKAC, PROBST, GIRAL, KINKEAD, RIVERA, NEILSON,
MERSKI, GALLAGHER, SANCHEZ, K. HARRIS, HOHENSTEIN, CIRESI,
PARKER, D. WILLIAMS, SMITH-WADE-EL, KRAJEWSKI, FREEMAN,
STEELE, HOWARD, RABB, BOROWSKI, FRANKEL, DOUGHERTY, INGLIS,
CURRY AND BOYD, OCTOBER 21, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 28, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Urging the President and Congress of the United States to
maintain funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance
Program known as LIHEAP.
WHEREAS, Energy assistance programs in the United States date
back to the 1970s, when they were created as a response to
rising energy costs amid the 1973 oil crisis, and the Low Income
Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was subsequently
established by Congress in 1981; and
WHEREAS, LIHEAP funding is now annually administered to all
50 states and Washington, DC, supporting families in the coldest
winters of the Northeast, the hottest summers of the South and
through other extreme weather across the country; and
WHEREAS, Increasingly frequent extreme weather events
worsened by climate change necessitate use of household heating
and cooling systems for the safety of Pennsylvanians and
Americans everywhere; and
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WHEREAS, LIHEAP offers short-term assistance for winter
heating bills, as well as crisis grants to fix broken heaters,
buy fuel, avoid shutoffs and restore terminated service; and
WHEREAS, LIHEAP can also cover weatherization for low-income
homes to improve energy efficiency and thus lower future energy
costs; and
WHEREAS, Since energy costs are rising due to increased
energy usage, one in five Pennsylvania households report
problems paying their bills and close to 200,000 Pennsylvania
households have experienced a gas or electric shutoff in 2025;
and
WHEREAS, Over the last year's program cycle, nationwide
LIHEAP distributed nearly $4 billion to assist roughly 6 million
low-income households struggling to pay their energy bills; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Government allocated to the Commonwealth
approximately $229 million in LIHEAP funding for the 2024-2025
program year alone and served more than 302,000 Pennsylvania
households, more than 128,000 of which received winter crisis
assistance; and
WHEREAS, In the same program year, 46% of LIHEAP payments in
this Commonwealth went to households with members 60 years of
age or older, 28% went to households with members with
disabilities and 17% went to households with children younger
than 5 years of age; and
WHEREAS, On April 2, 2025, President Trump laid off all
Federal staff responsible for administering LIHEAP, has called
the program unnecessary and has proposed zero funding in his
fiscal year 2026 Federal budget; and
WHEREAS, THERE IS CURRENTLY UNCERTAINTY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL
REGARDING CONTINUED FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM; AND
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WHEREAS, If LIHEAP funds are eliminated indefinitely, the
Commonwealth would face pressure to continue the program with
millions in State funding and utilities could attempt to recoup
lost income by raising bills for other ratepayers; and
WHEREAS, The program enjoys bipartisan support and is viewed
favorably by utilities, industry groups and organizations,
including the Energy Association of Pennsylvania and the
American Gas Association, which recognizes that the program
keeps people safe; and
WHEREAS, This will only serve to hurt Pennsylvania families,
who in the absence of LIHEAP funds may face utility shutoffs,
mounting debt or who may forgo other necessary expenses to pay
their heating bills; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has in recent years used LIHEAP
funding to pilot a cooling program in the summer which provides
low-income Pennsylvanians with free air conditioners and that
program was already discontinued this summer due to lack of
Federal funding; and
WHEREAS, In the absence of LIHEAP funds, low-income
households with seniors, children and members with disabilities
may rely on dangerous electric space heaters or ovens to warm
their homes or be left to suffer extreme temperatures with no
heating or cooling at risk of serious illness or death;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the President and Congress of
the United States to permanently reinstate Federal LIHEAP
employees and increase funding for the program in the fiscal
year 2026 budget and every budget to come; CONTINUE TO FUND THIS
IMPORTANT PROGRAM; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the presiding officers of e