November 15, 2012
Harkin Announces Nearly $50 Million in Low-Income Heating Assistance for Iowans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that Iowa has been awarded $49,684,403 through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The funding will help eligible Iowans meet home energy costs as cold winter months approach. Today’s funding was made possible by a provision included by Senator Harkin in this year’s Continuing Resolution. Harkin chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that funds LIHEAP.
“LIHEAP funds are critical for a state like Iowa that have long, cold winters,” Harkin said. “Access to this program provides a safety net for our nation’s low-income households, especially those with children and senior citizens. Without this assistance, thousands of families in our state face the impossible choice between paying their heating bills or buying necessary items like groceries.”
In Fiscal Year 2012, an estimated 88,000 Iowan households received LIHEAP assistance.
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