Congress: Approve $5.1 Billion in Funding for LIHEAP in FY 2013

Sign an Online Petition to urge Congress to approve $5.1 Billion in funding for LIHEAP in FY 2013.

National Fuel Funds Network Chair Calls Proposed LIHEAP Cuts Cold-Hearted or Misguided

For Immediate Release

Statement of Tom Stovall,
Chairman of the Board of Directors
National Fuel Funds Network

The National Fuel Funds Network was deeply disturbed by President Obama’s proposal to reduce funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to $3.020 billion for FY 2013.  The White House budget proposal to reduce LIHEAP funding by $452 million for the next fiscal year would have a devastating effect on this vital program and the millions of households it serves.

At a time when one in every seven Americans is living in poverty, when millions of Americans are out of work and millions more are underemployed and when applications for energy assistance are at an all-time high, reducing funding for LIHEAP can only be described as either callous and cold-hearted or misguided. Funding cuts of the magnitude proposed by the President will leave millions of people, including many who are elderly or disabled, facing the prospect of trying to live without the most basic of needs. 

NFFN members and LIHEAP supporters are coming to Washington on February 15 to lobby Congress to disregard the President’s proposed cuts and provide $5.1 billion for LIHEAP for FY 2013. We will work throughout the appropriations process to ensure that adequate funding is provided for this life-line program.

The National Fuel Funds Network is a non-profit organization whose more than 300 members include charitably funded energy assistance programs, which raise and distribute more than $150 million in energy assistance grants annually.

For more information contact:  Ivan Brandon 240 338-6862

Toolkit for LIHEAP Action Day

NFFN has produced a Toolkit for NFFN's LIHEAP Action Day. It assists advocates who cannot participate in the Washington events to develop supporting activities at the grassroots level.

On January 20, 2012 George Coling of NFFN, Louis Gonzalez of Florida Power and Light and Linda Barnes of Entergy presented a national webinar on NFFN's LIHEAP Action Day. Their respective presentations are below. Please review them to learn how you can benefit from participating in LIHEAP Action Day, either in Washington or in you local community with a local supporting event.

Entergy's LIHEAP Action Day Powerpoint
Florida Power and Light's LIHEAP Action Day Powerpoint
National Fuel Funds Network's LIHEAP Action Day Powerpoint