Gallego, Kelly Lead Effort Demanding Answers on Firing of Federal Workers in Charge of Life-Saving Energy Assistance Program

Lawmakers: "Leaving this program unstaffed is unacceptable and endangers the lives of countless Americans."

WASHINGTON - Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, alongside Representatives Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), are demanding answers from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about the abrupt termination of all employees responsible for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that helps Arizonans keep their air conditioning running. Ahead of the Arizona summer, the lawmakers raised the alarm about the health consequences of delays in LIHEAP support and requested an explanation for the firings and proof of how HHS plans to continue the program without staff.

LIHEAP is the federal government's primary program for helping low-income households pay their utility bills, serving approximately 5.9 million households annually. In Arizona-where extreme heat makes access to affordable cooling a matter of life and death-the program is especially needed. In 2023 alone, LIHEAP funding helped more than 27,000 Arizona households afford their utility bills, nearly three-fourths of whom received cooling assistance. The state received more than $30.59 million in LIHEAP funding in Fiscal Year 2025 and is slated to receive additional funding as a result of the continuing resolution passed in March, assistance that is now in limbo without federal staff to distribute it.

"We write to express significant concern with your decision to fire Health and Human Services employees working to support the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Created by Congress in 1981, LIHEAP is the federal government's foremost program for helping low-income individuals afford their electricity bills, serving roughly 5.9 million households every year. Without the necessary staff in place to facilitate the LIHEAP program and distribute this vital funding, people in our state of Arizona and throughout the country will face higher utility costs and may be forced to go without life-saving cooling measures," the lawmakers said.

They continued, "With record-breaking temperatures becoming more frequent, access to LIHEAP funding can mean the difference between life and death, particularly for seniors and individuals with preexisting health conditions. Eliminating the staff responsible for administering this program will have devastating public health consequences and will increase the risk of heat-related illnesses and fatalities."

The lawmakers noted that Congress appropriated $4.1 billion for LIHEAP in fiscal year 2025 and raised serious concerns about the program's future without the staff responsible for administering it.

They wrote, "Congress appropriated $4.1 billion for LIHEAP for fiscal year (FY) 2025 and has continued to recognize the importance of this program. These employees played a vital role in processing applications, ensuring timely distribution of funds, and helping vulnerable households access the resources necessary to keep their homes safe and livable. Leaving this program unstaffed is unacceptable and endangers the lives of countless Americans."

The lawmakers closed their letter with a series of oversight questions seeking clarification on how LIHEAP will be managed moving forward, who-if anyone-is currently overseeing the program, and how HHS plans to ensure continued delivery of assistance to families in need.

Read the full letter HERE.

4/14/25