Overview

• The Trump administration has terminated the entire federal staff of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as part of a broader HHS restructuring, affecting the program's operations.
• LIHEAP provides critical heating and cooling assistance to 6.2 million low-income households annually, but $378 million in federal funds remain undisbursed for the fiscal year.
• State officials are uncertain how to manage applications, audits, and funding distribution without federal guidance, with some states fearing program disruptions.
• Bipartisan opposition has emerged, with 13 U.S. senators urging the administration to reverse the staffing cuts to protect vulnerable populations from rising energy costs.
• Massachusetts and other states have received most of their allocated funds but are awaiting final payments, intensifying concerns over the program's long-term viability.