THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
President Clinton Offers Home Heating Assistance
President Clinton today directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release $300 million in Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) emergency funds to all States to assist low-income households facing substantial increases in home heating fuel prices.
With today's release of $300 million in LIHEAP emergency funds, the President has directed HHS to release a total of $856 million in LIHEAP emergency funds this winter to help States assist low-income households in coping with high fuel prices during this winter. Today's release of funding is provided for from the FY 2001 Labor, HHS, Education appropriations bill signed by the President on December 21st. In addition to today's release, HHS released $156 million on December 18th and $400 million on September 23rd.
The Department of Energy projects that heating oil prices this winter will be 29 percent higher than last winter, and natural gas prices will be 40 percent higher than last winter. Low-income households are especially burdened by fuel prices increases, forcing many families to forego other essential expenses in order to stay warm during the cold months. Today's LIHEAP release will help States continue to meet the needs of these families throughout the winter. In response to the President's urging, many States have adopted higher income eligibility limits in their LIHEAP programs and higher benefit levels in anticipation of greater need for assistance this winter.
Today's release allocates funds to all States, factoring in States' reliance on heating oil, natural gas and propane. The cold weather states of the Northeast and Midwest will receive most of the funds. However, all States will receive some assistance since low-income households throughout the country are experiencing sharp energy price increases. In addition to the nationwide increases in natural gas and fuel oil, in some areas, electricity prices have risen since electricity generation often is fueled by oil or natural gas.
LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating and insulating their homes in the winter and cooling their homes in the summer. This release provides to states all the LIHEAP emergency funds made available under the FY 2001 Labor, HHS, Education appropriations bill.
The state allocations of today's release follow. These amounts include funds that will be provided directly to tribes in these states.
December 28
State Allocation
Alabama $2,429,254
Alaska $1,573,057
Arizona $1,047,485
Arkansas $1,867,029
California $13,785,570
Colorado $4,937,929
Connecticut $6,570,199
Delaware $843,643
Dist. of Col. $967,148
Florida $2,760,626
Georgia $3,126,957
Hawaii $177,792
Idaho $1,439,457
Illinois $18,540,822
Indiana $8,019,030
Iowa $5,873,400
Kansas $2,732,268
Kentucky $3,558,555
Louisiana $2,465,595
Maine $4,006,710
Maryland $4,768,353
Massachusetts $13,056,895
Michigan $18,053,096
Minnesota $12,195,356
Mississippi $2,112,807
Missouri $6,885,039
Montana $2,048,914
Nebraska $2,923,433
Nevada $487,986
New Hampshire $2,406,536
New Jersey $12,678,060
New Mexico $1,598,317
New York $41,136,079
North Carolina $4,969,416
North Dakota $2,274,696
Ohio $15,877,753
Oklahoma $2,378,196
Oregon $2,631,108
Pennsylvania $21,398,650
Rhode Island $2,247,960
South Carolina $1,803,859
South Dakota $1,913,717
Tennessee $3,152,012
Texas $6,302,398
Utah $2,355,698
Vermont $1,743,008
Virginia $5,049,365
Washington $4,160,385
West Virginia $2,447,391
Wisconsin $11,123,552
Wyoming $894,297
Territories $203,142
TOTAL $300,000,000
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