Rep. Josh Riley is pressing federal health officials to send home-heating assistance to states by Nov. 1, saying delays could leave Upstate New York households facing winter bills without help when they need it.
Riley, a Democrat representing New York's 19th Congressional District, signed a Sept. 25 bipartisan letter to the Department of Health and Human Services. The lawmakers urged the agency to distribute Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding as soon as possible and no later than the Nov. 1 deadline in the federal spending law.
The program, known as LIHEAP, sends federal money to states to help eligible households pay home-energy costs. New York administers its share through the Home Energy Assistance Program. The lawmakers said timely federal distribution is especially important for families who heat with oil because a delivery can require substantial payment upfront.
“Upstate New Yorkers shouldn’t have to choose between staying warm or buying groceries,” Riley said in an Oct. 16 news release. He called for the aid to reach families before colder weather arrives.
Lawmakers seek staffing details
The September letter, signed by 116 members of Congress, also asked HHS for a detailed account of staffing devoted to LIHEAP, including full- and part-time employees and projected vacancies. Its authors said they were concerned that a shortage of dedicated staff could impair the program's operation or slow the release of funds.
The lawmakers pointed to earlier funding delays and rising energy costs, particularly for households that rely on heating oil. Their letter said those households may not be protected by utility shutoff moratoriums and may have to pay for oil before it is delivered. It asked HHS to have the personnel and resources in place to distribute the money on schedule.
Separate letter seeks $3 billion more
Riley also signed an Oct. 14 bipartisan letter to congressional appropriators asking for an additional $3 billion in emergency LIHEAP funding for fiscal 2027. That request is for Congress to provide more money; it is separate from the appeal to HHS to release already appropriated funds promptly.
The appropriations letter says LIHEAP received about $4 billion in the previous fiscal year and argues that higher energy prices will leave that amount short of need. Citing an American Gas Association estimate, its authors say five in six eligible households do not receive aid. Congress has not approved the additional $3 billion requested in the letter.
A federal LIHEAP profile for New York reports that 1,145,065 households received heating assistance in fiscal 2024, the latest year listed there for households served. That figure describes a past program year, not the number of households that will receive benefits this winter.
FingerLakes1.com reported in September that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand had separately urged HHS to release an estimated $360 million in New York heating aid. Riley's letters add a Nov. 1 distribution deadline and a separate request for supplemental funding.
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