Bill > S1214

This bill aims to substantially improve the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by expanding assistance, addressing climate change impacts, and providing greater support for low-income households struggling with energy costs. The bill increases funding for the program, raising the authorization to $2 billion for fiscal year 2026 and subsequent years, and creates a new $1 billion grant program for just transition efforts. It expands eligibility criteria to households with incomes up to 250 percent of the poverty level or 80 percent of state median income, and requires states to work towards ensuring no eligible household spends more than 3 percent of its income on energy costs. The legislation introduces new provisions to protect households from energy shutoffs, reduce administrative barriers to accessing assistance, and prioritize assistance for households with the lowest incomes. It also mandates new efforts to address extreme heat and cold, improve weatherization, and support renewable energy transitions, with specific requirements for states to develop cooling assistance plans, conduct outreach to vulnerable populations, and create partnerships to reduce energy burdens. Additionally, the bill renames the program from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to the Home Energy Assistance Program and establishes new data collection and reporting requirements to better track and address energy affordability challenges.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1214/all-info