Jan. 23, 2008 — - A column by Congressman Geoff Davis
Last week was one of the coldest we’ve experienced this winter. The frigid temperatures were an acute reminder of the high cost of energy to heat our homes. In more immediate terms, it created a shortage of funds available for heating assistance.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was created in 1984 by Congress to provide grants to States to assist low income households with their home energy expenses. With the help of the Community Action Agencies, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ distributes the LIHEAP federal block grant to an estimated 150,000 Kentucky families every year.
Last week as temperatures dipped across the Commonwealth, the program found that its funding was depleted and they were temporarily unable to offer assistance to families and seniors seeking their services.
While the remaining $7.1 million of the fiscal year 2008 LIHEAP grant was in the process of being released, I had concerns that it would still not be enough to get Kentuckians through the winter. As a result, I wrote to President Bush asking him to immediately release the contingency funding for LIHEAP so that Kentucky’s program, and similar assistance across the country, would receive the additional funding needed to help families in need.
On January 16, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt released $450 million in emergency funding for the LIHEAP program to help States assist those in need through the coming winter months. Kentucky received an additional $2,050,180 for our families in the Commonwealth.
If you know of someone who needs assistance paying their home energy bills, or if you are in need of assistance yourself, I encourage you to contact the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services by calling (800) 456-3452. Also, I encourage you to visit http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dfs/liheap.htm for more information about the LIHEAP program and to find out if you qualify for assistance.
The high cost of energy is hitting home for all Kentuckians. From the cost of filling our gas tanks to paying our home energy bills, we are all feeling the pinch. But, there are things that we can all do to help save on home energy costs. Simple things, such as changing the air filters on your home’s heating and cooling system, installing a programmable thermostat and sealing and insulating heating and cooling ducts, are ways to make your home more energy efficient and help save you money. For more energy saving tips, please visit: http://www.energystar.gov/.
As always, if there is a problem or situation that I can assist with, please call my office at (859) 426-0080 and we will do everything we can to help. Looking forward, Congress must focus on formulating rational energy policy that increases energy supplies and decreases our dependence on foreign sources to more effectively treat the underlying issue as opposed to simply addressing the symptom. Doing so will alleviate the pressure on our family budgets and on our small businesses.
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