Jackson Aids Release Of Emergency LIHEAP Funds

Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., today announced that after a month-long struggle "the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is releasing $200 million in LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) emergency funds to states, territories and tribes. It means that some lives may be spared, and up to 486,000 families will not have to choose between freezing and starving. It's not the $300 million we asked for, but it's a significant start. There's still $100 million available in the emergency funds," Jackson said.

On December 20, 2002, in a letter signed by 79 bi-partisan lawmakers of the Northeast-Midwest Coalition Congressman, Jackson called on President Bush to "take immediate action to ensure the availability of critical home energy aid to the millions of American households dependent up the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

"With the National Weather Service issuing cold weather advisories in Chicago, I am happy the President has heard the pleas of Congress to help our constituents who are literally freezing to death. For many of my constituents and the millions of other Americans currently facing harsh winter conditions, the lack of adequate home heating is a crisis."

Without the emergency funds, it was estimated by Chicago officials that approximately 20,000 LIHEAP-eligible households would not have received any assistance this winter. They literally would be left in the cold.

"As a member of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee - the subcommittee that funds LIHEAP - I will continue to demand that the subcommittee fully fund LIHEAP at $2 billion in the regular program, plus the $300 million in emergency funds. LIHEAP annually assists more than 4.6 million low-income families, half earning less than $10,000 a year," Jackson said.