LIHEAP Gets $1.9 Billion for 2005

Congress passed the FY 2005 Omnibus spending bill on November 20 and the bill provided $1.9 billion for the regular LIHEAP program ($100 million more than last year) and $300 million in emergency contingency funds, which can only be released upon the President’s declaration of an emergency. The bill also includes an across-the-board cut of 0.8 percent for all programs in the bill. This table shows state-by- state LIHEAP allotments for FY 2005 (regular funds).

However, LIHEAP continues to be funded under a continuing resolution until December 8 because the Omnibus bill has been held up over an unrelated IRS tax return provision. While the Senate has already acted to repeal the controversial provision, the House will reconvene on December 6 and will hold a vote to remove it.

In the meantime, a report released November 19 by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities pointed out that the average cost of home heating for households using natural gas, heating oil or propane will be 24 percent higher this winter than last and that Congress would need to increase the LIHEAP allocation by 24 percent, to $2.35 billion, in order for the program to defray the same portion of home heating costs for the same number of low-income households as it did last year.

Source: National Consumer Law Center, Center on Budge and Policy Priorities

Page Last Updated: December 7, 2005