Casey: Pennsylvania Will Receive Over $52 Million in LIHEAP Assistance

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today announced that Pennsylvania will receive $52,387,046 in additional LIHEAP funds to help low-income and older Pennsylvanians with their heating and other home energy costs.

Senator Casey has been leading the push in the U.S. Senate to increase LIHEAP funding, cosponsoring a bill last month that would increase the level of funding this fiscal year.

“Hardworking Pennsylvania families and our older citizens are struggling to make ends meet this winter. This funding will help more Pennsylvanians warm their homes during the coldest portion of the winter,” Senator Casey said. “These funds are a step in the right direction to keep Pennsylvania’s families warm, but we must do more to increase LIHEAP funding this fiscal year.”

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is designed to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs.

The LIHEAP funds released today bring Pennsylvania’s total allocation for fiscal year 2012 to over $209 million.