The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides financial assistance for at-risk households who cannot afford to cool their homes in the summer or heat them in the winter.
The Texas Office of State-Federal Relations (OSFR) reports that the President’s proposed budget for 2012 (which will be released on February 14) is expected to cut a reported $2.5-3 billion of LIHEAP funds from the authorized level of $5.1 billion. This cut represents a reduction in funding by more than 50%.
The OSFR notes that under this scenario, Texas’ receipt of LIHEAP funding would drop by 76%, a loss of $160 million to the state and because of the program’s allocation formula, the cuts would impact Texas more than any other state.
