WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) led a bipartisan initiative alongside Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) demanding that Florida receives its fair-share of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding.
Florida has one of America's highest senior populations, but receives well-below the national average in LIHEAP funding, and the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies has the power to change this unacceptable reality.
Donalds and Moskowitz received bipartisan support from colleagues including Representatives Michael Waltz (R-FL), Aaron Bean (R-FL), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Brian Mast (R-FL), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Greg Steube (R-FL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Cory Mills (R-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and Neal Dunn (R-FL).
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- Read the full text of the letter HERE or below:
The Honorable Robert Aderholt
Chairman
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human
Services, Education, and Related Agencies
House Committee on Appropriations
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human
Services, Education, and Related Agencies
House Committee on Appropriations
Dear Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member DeLauro,
As work beings on the fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations process, we respectfully request you consider the heating and cooling needs of vulnerable American families in the allocation of funds through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Overall, LIHEAP is America’s primary residential energy assistance program and prioritizes at-risk households with disabled individuals, young children, and the elderly. Unfortunately, residents in the great state of Florida and many other states have been underserved in the past due to appropriations language that deviates from LIHEAP’s enabling statute.
Specifically, the state of Florida—which has one of the nation’s highest senior populations—receives funding well below the program’s national average, and is only able to serve seven percent of eligible households. Compared to the national average of seventeen percent, Florida receives an alarmingly small fraction of LIHEAP funding—especially when you consider Florida’s rapidly growing population and the large number of Floridians that live on fixed incomes.
With that in mind, we request that no less than seventy-five percent of any increase in LIHEAP funds in FY25 be allocated to the program’s “new” formula. This will ensure energy customers in Florida receive their fair share of LIHEAP funds in accordance to the program’s underlying law.
We appreciate the Subcommittee’s desire to balance the needs of vulnerable households nationwide and we seek your support for a more equitable distribution of LIHEAP funding. By increasing funds to the “new” formula, LIHEAP will be able to serve a greater percentage of Florida’s most vulnerable population.
Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to working with you to equitably address this critical need.
Sincerely,
Byron Donalds (R-FL) Member of Congress
Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) Member of Congress
Michael Waltz (R-FL) Member of Congress
Aaron Bean (R-FL) Member of Congress
Frederica Wilson (D-FL) Member of Congress
Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) Member of Congress
Brian Mast (R-FL) Member of Congress
Maria Salazar (R-FL) Member of Congress
Laurel Lee (R-FL) Member of Congress
Greg Steube (R-FL) Member of Congress
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) Member of Congress
Kat Cammack (R-FL) Member of Congress
Cory Mills (R-FL) Member of Congress
Darren Soto (D-FL) Member of Congress
Kathy Castor (D-FL) Member of Congress
Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Member of Congress
Neal Dunn (R-FL) Member of Congress
