After Successfully Re-Stocking LIHEAP Energy Assistance Program, Courtney Announces $86 Million in New Support for Connecticut Households

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, with winter quickly approaching, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) helped announce that the State of Connecticut will be re-supplied with $86 million through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help local families offset higher home heating and energy costs. These renewed resources to the popular home energy assistance program come following the recent passage of the stop-gap funding bill in Congress, which included $1 billion to re-supply LIHEAP—an effort that was led by Rep. Courtney. Of today’s total $86 million, nearly 20% ($19.5 million) comes thanks to that successful effort.

“LIHEAP has come in handy for lots of households in eastern Connecticut, and with colder weather just around the corner we needed to re-fuel it so that it’s there when people need it this winter,” said Rep. Courtney. “Re-stocking the LIHEAP program was always going to be the fastest, most direct way to help people lower their energy costs this winter, and that’s why we pressed so hard for it starting earlier this fall. After helping to lead this effort in the House, and after pulling bipartisan support from across the country together for this approach, it’s great to see our work finally make it across the finish line and home to Connecticut. This is going to provide real, tangible support for people in our region this winter, and thanks to new program rules there are more households than ever that qualify. My office is ready to help anyone in eastern Connecticut who is interested in this support.”

In Connecticut, federal LIHEAP funding is dispersed through the highly utilized Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), which provides homeowners with direct assistance to help lower the cost of heating and home energy use. LIHEAP eligibility has been expanded recently so that programs like CEAP can assist even more people, and making Rep. Courtney’s successful effort even more impactful.

Of the $86 million in total re-supplied LIHEAP funding, $64 million comes from standard LIHEAP block grant funding, $1.9 million comes from funding appropriated for FY 2023 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and $19.5 million of it—roughly 22% of the total amount—comes from Rep. Courtney’s successful effort to re-stock LIHEAP.

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