Home heating aid for low-income families set to increase

WASHINGTON – Cash-strapped families who depend on home heating assistance can expect more federal dollars this winter.

The government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance program would get roughly $409 million more in a year-end budget bill Congress approved Wednesday. Fuel aid advocates praised the increase, but warned it won’t be enough to keep pace with record home heating oil prices, particularly in the Northeast.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, which represents state-run, low-income energy assistance programs. “But it’s going to be a very tough winter even with this.”

The Senate late Tuesday approved about $2.6 billion for the government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance program, which provides heating and cooling subsidies for the poor. Similar LIHEAP money is part of a massive $555 billion omnibus appropriations package passed by the House on Wednesday.

President Bush had proposed cutting the fuel aid program by $379 million.

Millions of poor and elderly people on fixed incomes rely on heating assistance to help pay their heating bills.

Lawmakers from cold-weather states including Maine pressed for extra money as Congress neared adjournment. They say aid dollars have been outpaced by high fuel prices.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, says her state should get at least $10 million more in emergency assistance. Last year, Maine received $32.5 million in federal LIHEAP assistance, Snowe said.