February 20, 2007
February 20, 2007
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, along with 34 other governors, last week sent a letter urging Congress to provide at least an additional $1 billion in federal funding to help vulnerable families afford the cost of keeping warm. Governor Granholm was joined by Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) in a bipartisan push to increase available federal funding for this winter and next winter.
"The recent snow and freezing temperatures here in Michigan verify that the demand for crisis energy assistance has not diminished," Granholm said. "As heating prices continue to be a significant challenge to our residents' wallets, Washington should work with states to make sure our most vulnerable residents can keep their homes warm."
Last week, Congress approved and the president signed a federal spending bill that reduces funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) from last year's level by roughly one-third. Knowing that the new funding level was set in a difficult federal budgetary environment, Granholm joined other governors to ask that Congress identify additional funding opportunities to supplement the LIHEAP budget this year. The governors expressed frustration that President Bush's budget proposal for 2008 would cut the LIHEAP program by an additional $380 million.
The LIHEAP program is designed to help residents afford home energy costs that continue to be high this winter, forcing families to choose between priorities such as heating, food, and shelter. Last year, Congress appropriated $3.2 billion in LIHEAP funds, of which Michigan received a total of $154 million and was able to serve almost a half million households in need of energy assistance.
# # #
