Press Releases

House/Senate Committees Approve 21% Increase in LIHEAP Funding!

Contact: Mark Wolfe
Phone: 202-237-5199
Date: October 12, 2001

The Senate Subcommittee on Labor/HHS/ED appropriations has approved $1.7 billion for LIHEAP for FY 2002 plus $300 million in emergency funds, the same level as provided by the House Appropriations Committee. This represents a 21.4% increase over last year's base funding level.

The Administration also will be able to carryover the $300 million in emergency fund authority approved last year. As a result, the Administration will have the authority to provide the same level of funding as was provided last year ($1.7 billion plus $600 million in total emergency authority for FY 2002 is slightly higher than the $2.25 billion provided in FY 2001 ($1.4 billion in regular funding plus $855 million provided in emergency funding). What is very exciting about this is that the base funding for LIHEAP is continuing to increase - two years ago it was only $1.1 billion. Unfortunately, advance funding for 2003 was not provided by either the House or Senate for FY 2003. (View table)