Rush Announces $408.2 Million to Help Illinois Families Lower Energy Costs This Winter

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), the Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Energy Subcommittee, announced that Illinois will receive a record total of $408.2 million in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) this fiscal year to help families afford energy costs.

This amount is more than double Illinois's typical LIHEAP funding allotment, and the most LIHEAP funding Illinois has ever received in one year, thanks to the American Rescue Plan -- which Rush helped pass -- and annual appropriations. As Americans continue to deal with the impacts of the pandemic and high energy costs, Illinois families and seniors will be able to use these investments to lower the cost of staying warm this winter, cover utilities, and pay for energy repairs.

"I grew up in a single-parent household and I know from experience what it feels like to not be sure whether you'll have enough money to keep the heat on in the winter," said Rush. "As a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Chair of the Energy Subcommittee, I've been a longtime advocate for increased funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and I'm thrilled that this much-needed assistance is going out to help Illinois families lower costs and stay warm this winter."

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