Governor Mills Calls on Congress to Boost LIHEAP Funding
Governor also urges Maine people not to delay applying for home heating assistance, Highlights Maine Winter Heating Guide
Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills today urged Congress to provide additional home heating assistance as President Trump’s war in Iran continues to drive energy prices to record highs.
In a letter to Maine's Congressional Delegation, Governor Mills said that current federal funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is insufficient to meet the increased need caused by sharply higher home heating costs.
Maine is the most heating oil-dependent state in the nation, with approximately half of all homes relying on oil as their primary heat source. Last week, heating oil in Maine reached a record $6.02 per gallon, equating to approximately $740 more to fill a standard 275-gallon tank than one year ago.
“Maine people should not be forced to choose between staying warm and putting food on the table because the President chose to drag the country into a needless war,” Governor Mills wrote in her letter to Maine’s Congressional Delegation. “Congress should significantly increase these funds to ensure the safety and comfort of Maine people heading into the winter season.”
In her letter, Governor Mills noted that federal funding appropriated for LIHEAP did not fully consider the global supply disruptions caused by the President’s war, and that available funding no longer reflects the circumstances facing Maine and other cold-weather states.
She thanked Maine’s Congressional Delegation for its bipartisan support for FY2027 LIHEAP funding and urged them to work with their colleagues to quickly make additional funding available.
“I urge you to work with your colleagues to provide a supplemental appropriation for LIHEAP to ensure that Maine people are not left to shoulder the burden of the President’s blunder,” continued Governor Mills.
The Governor today also urged eligible Maine people not to delay in applying for heating assistance this winter. Applications for Maine’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) – supported by federal LIHEAP funds – can assist Maine homeowners and renters pay for heating costs. Applications for the program opened in August and will continue until funds are exhausted. Application information and income eligibility can be found on MaineHousing’s website.
Yesterday, the Governor announced that thousands of eligible Maine people will soon begin receiving automatic discounts on their electric bill through the Mills Administration’s new SupportLink initiative. Through the initiative, HEAP beneficiaries will also automatically receive the electric bill discounts, which are available through the state’s Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP).
The Governor also urged Maine people to evaluate ways they can save money on heating costs by reviewing the Maine Department of Energy Resources 2026-2027 Winter Heating Guide. The updated guide, released yesterday, includes practical home heating and weatherization tips for Maine residents, steps to access energy assistance programs, links to online resources including the latest energy prices, and more. The guide also summarizes energy efficiency and home heating programs available through MaineHousing, Efficiency Maine, Community Action Agencies, and other partners.
The full text of the Governor’s letter to the Maine Congressional Delegation is below:
Dear Senator Collins, Senator King, Representative Pingree, and Representative Golden:
I write to urge Congress to make available additional funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for this winter.
As you know, Maine is the most heating oil-dependent state in the nation, with half of all homes reliant on oil for their primary source of heat. As a large, rural state with an older housing stock, Maine people are especially vulnerable to spikes in the cost of heating fuel.
Last week, the average price of heating oil in Maine reached a record $6.02 per gallon, costing Maine people approximately $740 more to fill a standard 275-gallon tank than this time last year. Similar trends exist for the thousands of Maine LIHEAP recipients that rely on kerosene for home heating and whose prices are also now nearing historic highs. These record prices are the direct result of President Trump’s ill-conceived war in Iran that has resulted in the largest supply disruptions in global history.
Maine people should not be forced to choose between staying warm and putting food on the table because the President chose to drag the country into a needless war.
Federal funding levels appropriated for LIHEAP this winter did not fully consider the drastic impacts of the President’s war that has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and are now insufficient for the circumstances that Maine and other cold-climate states now face. Congress should significantly increase these funds to ensure the safety and comfort of Maine people heading into the winter season.
I thank you for your bipartisan efforts to support FY2027 appropriations for LIHEAP even as the President’s budget fully eliminated this critical program and your efforts to have the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unlock the FY2027 funds.
I urge you to work with your colleagues to provide a supplemental appropriation for LIHEAP to ensure that Maine people are not left to shoulder the burden of the President’s blunder.
Sincerely,
Janet T. Mills
Governor
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
