By U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud
(D-Maine)
Congress is currently on a path to cut funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). With fuel prices on the rise and a stubborn economic recovery, this is absolutely the wrong time to be cutting back on this critical assistance.
Energy is a basic need and without LIHEAP assistance many Mainers are forced to make unacceptable choices, such as whether to heat their homes, put food on the table or buy needed medications. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association, nearly one third of families receiving LIHEAP assistance reported that they went without food during the last five years as a result of high home energy costs. Over 40 percent of families reported sacrificing medical care and 25 percent reported that someone in the home became sick because the home was too cold.
Roughly 8.9 million families nationwide received LIHEAP assistance last winter, an increase of 16 percent from two years ago. But even at those levels, only roughly 20 percent of the families eligible for assistance actually received it. Reducing funding for LIHEAP to the levels in current appropriations bills would mean that roughly 2 million families nationwide would no longer be able to receive help from this vital program. This is a devastating outlook for the more than 60,000 low-income Maine households that relied on LIHEAP assistance last year.
Last month, I joined with members of Congress from across the country to send a letter to congressional leaders urging them to support at least the same amount of LIHEAP funding provided in the previous fiscal year. Any cut, when combined with an increased demand for the program, would mean a smaller benefit for fewer people at a time aid is needed most.
Unfortunately, the real world impacts of funding decisions sometimes get lost on many in Washington. To help build support for the program, I asked Mainer’s in October to email me or share stories on my Facebook page about how LIHEAP affects their lives so that I could share them with congressional leaders. I received a lot of responses that clearly make the case for maintaining adequate funding for LIHEAP. These are not talking points. This is not political rhetoric. These are real Mainers who have volunteered their stories in order to wake up Washington and get them to do the right thing.
A resident of Millinocket wrote: “I am a disabled widow who lives on Social Security disability. I was denied fuel assistance and also denied a discount on my electric bill. My electric bill with the discount averages $125 per month. Last year my home used 1,600 gallons of oil and I was not warm. Heating oil in my area is creeping towards $3.75 and most likely will be more than $4 per gallon this winter. My concern is for others as well as myself. With gas as expensive as it is, many of us are prisoners in our own homes as well. My father who lives in Stratton has thermostats in each room and barricades himself into his bedroom all winter, only using heat in that room. I have a friend here in Millinocket that has blankets up on doorways to close off the cold from other rooms other than her living room. This is very disappointing and depressing for many.”
This Mainer, and many others who wrote to me, understand that cutting funding for LIHEAP so dramatically would have a devastating impact on millions of Americans, including tens of thousands in our state. On November 10th, I sent the Maine stories that were sent to me directly to those in the House and Senate who are charged with overseeing LIHEAP funding. I want them to read these compelling firsthand accounts so they can fully grasp the impact of their funding decisions.
Politicians in Washington need to listen to these stories and those they represent before they support cuts that will literally leave too many out in the cold.
