Government shutdown threatens to delay home heating aid for millions of low-income families
Source: AP
By SUSAN HAIGH and MARC LEVY
Updated 6:31 AM CST, November 2, 2025
Leer en español
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Jacqueline Chapman is a retired school aide who relies on a $630 monthly Social Security check to get by. She was navigating the loss of her federal food aid benefits when she learned the assistance she receives for heating her Philadelphia apartment may also be at risk.
I feel like Im living in scary times. Its not easy to rest when you know you have things to do with limited accounts, limited funds. There isnt too much you can do, said Chapman, 74.
Chapman relies on the $4.1 billion Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps millions of low-income households pay to heat and cool their homes.
With temperatures beginning to drop in areas across the United States, some states are warning that funding for the program is being delayed because of the federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-heating-assistance-liheap-winter-7bcec80a167bd01f442d6dabe1149b71
twodogsbarking
(16,474 posts)Bayard
(27,637 posts)We have Scrooge for xmas.
synni
(621 posts)That's why, for the past few years, I have kept my home very cool, to save on natural gas. Thank God, I have over $800 to get me by...for now.
Unfortunately, people who haven't been on the program as long would not have been able to save up as much of their LIHEAP payout.
2026 elections can't come soon enough!
pat_k
(12,250 posts)... that fund is empty because funds have not been appropriated for it since 2011.
How many other funds like this that have been permanently authorized by Congress have been left empty?
This is the problem with failing to pass actual appropriations bills.
How the hell do we fix Congress? What needs to happen for them to actually do their number 1 job -- appropriate money to execute on the laws they pass?
Added On Edit:
I did a google search for "Can states pay LIHEAP out of state funds and other block grants?"
Gemini gave what looks like a pretty comprehensive answer. Run it yourself if interested. The short answer is that states are allowed to tap into general funds, and tap into other federal block grants up to a specified percent to pay LIHEAP during government shutdowns and other emergencies.
CountAllVotes
(22,021 posts)It is getting mighty cold out there, esp. at night!
The freak doing this is evil, plain evil!
& recommend!
lostnfound
(17,267 posts)electric_blue68
(24,680 posts)Well, nothing new about my opinion. But it must be stated off & on.