Following Bipartisan Push from Congressman Pat Ryan and Colleagues Demanding Trump Administration Speed Up LIHEAP Distribution, HHS Releases $356 Million for New York

As temperatures begin to drop and fuel prices remain high due to the Iran War, Congressman Ryan demanded that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) distribute critical home energy funds without delay

This week, $356 million in LIHEAP funding was released to New York, which is the earliest these awards have been granted

Ryan is calling on House Appropriations Committee to provide an additional $3 billion in supplemental LIHEAP funding for FY27

Ryan co-sponsors the "Heating and Cooling Relief Act," which would expand eligibility for LIHEAP and lower home energy costs for millions more households nationwide

Heating oil prices in New York state are up almost 70% from this time last year, with prices in the Hudson Valley averaging $6.25/ gallon

WASHINGTON, DC - After Congressman Pat Ryan helped lead a bipartisan push demanding the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to distribute Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to the states as soon as possible, HHS announced this week they have distributed $356,163,671 in LIEHAP funds for New York's Home Energy Assistance Program. Heating oil prices in New York State are up more than 70% from this time last year, with prices in the Hudson Valley averaging $6.22/ gallon.

"After a summer of skyhigh gas prices and utility bills due to Trump's war in Iran, home heating oil costs are up almost 70 percent. Now, as temperatures start to drop, Hudson Valley families are about to face more expensive heating bills on top of everything else. Thousands of families in our community rely on the LIHEAP program to keep their homes warm. We put the pressure on the administration early to ensure these funds got out the door without delay, and I'm proud they heeded our calls, distributing more than $356 million in LIHEAP funds to New York," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "The LIHEAP program is chronically underfunded, which is why I'm calling on the Appropriations Committee to increase funding for the program and pushing for legislation to ensure more Hudson Valley families can qualify for assistance."

This week, Ryan also joined a bipartisan group of 73 members in calling on the House Appropriations Committee to provide an additional $3 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27).

In the letter, the members wrote, "As the war with Iran remains unresolved, energy prices are expected to keep rising, with heating oil up 60% since February. LIHEAP's $4 billion in funding for the last fiscal year would fall significantly short in meeting the needs of American families this fiscal year."

"LIHEAP is a critical lifeline for low- and moderate-income individuals, but even if your household qualifies, LIHEAP does not provide guaranteed security. Five out of six families who qualify for LIHEAP receive no financial assistance due to the program's woefully underfunded status. When adjusting for inflation, LIHEAP funding is lower now than it was in 1981 when the program was first created. If LIHEAP was funded at the same level as it was 45 years ago, the program would have received nearly $7 billion in FY27," they continued.

"Emergency LIHEAP assistance is urgently needed as winter weather approaches and colder temperatures have already begun. Families should not have to choose between staying warm and purchasing other essential items like food, medication, or rent. Congress must act and not leave families in the cold," they concluded.

LIHEAP helps low-income individuals and families pay for heating and cooling and mitigates the impacts of rising energy costs and extreme weather events. Across the nation, LIHEAP helps nearly 6 million households afford their energy bills, including nearly 30,000 in NY-18, but Secretary Kennedy's decision last year to fire all LIHEAP staff last year has put this assistance at risk. Ryan has previously blasted the Trump Administration for threatening to eliminate federal funding for LIHEAP.

Ryan is also a co-sponsor of the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, legislation to modernize LIHEAP, increase investments, and dramatically expand eligibility so that households earning up to 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Line or 80 percent of State Median Income can qualify to apply for assistance. It would lower home energy costs for millions more households nationwide.

Specifically, the Heating and Cooling Relief Act would:

• Substantially increase LIHEAP funding to ensure year-round assistance, including an additional $2 billion for emergency energy assistance and $1 billion in Just Transition Grants to help vulnerable households adapt to a changing climate;
• Broaden eligibility so that households earning up to 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Line or 80 percent of State Median Income can qualify, while ensuring lower energy burdens for lower-income households and capping household energy burdens at 3 percent of monthly income;
• Protect consumers from utility shutoffs, excessive late fees, and predatory energy practices that disproportionately impact vulnerable communities;
• Expand emergency assistance, ensuring extreme heat and cold are recognized as qualifying emergencies and that states can provide vital cooling relief;
• Increase funding for weatherization and home electrification, to help low-income households reduce energy costs, improve health and safety, and transition to clean, resilient energy systems;
• Streamline enrollment and outreach, improving coordination with other federal programs and increasing access through automatic enrollment and simplified verification; and
• Strengthen reporting requirements to better track affordability, equity, and climate resilience outcomes.

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