Press Releases

Following Kuster’s Advocacy, White House Announces Plan To Use COVID-19 Relief Funding To Offset Home Heating Costs This Winter

Washington, November 18, 2021

**Last week, Kuster sent a letter to the administration urging immediate action to address high heating costs this winter**

 

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced a plan to deploy funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to help offset rising home heating costs for Americans this winter. This move comes a week after Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) joined her colleagues in sending a letter to the administration urging the president to release inventory from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve (NEHHOR) and Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to limit natural gas exports.

 

“No Granite Stater should have to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table,” said Rep. Kuster. “That’s why I urged the Biden-Harris administration to take immediate, decisive action to ease home heating costs for families this winter. At a time when nearly 30 percent of households are forgoing other expenses to pay their energy bills, this move will meaningfully bring down energy prices for Granite Staters and allow them to keep the lights on and the thermostat up this winter.”

 

Specifically, the American Rescue Plan Act provides:

 

  • $4.5 billion to expand the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that helps tenants pay their utility bills;
  • $21.5 billion for Emergency Rental Assistance programs that help struggling renters avoid utility shut-offs; and
  • $350 billion to the State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which the administration says can be used to assist with energy costs.

 

Read a copy of the letter here.

 

In January, Kuster introduced the Energy Debt Relief for American Families Act, which would provide $10 billion in additional LIHEAP funds to help families pay off utility debt incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kuster subsequently played a critical role in getting the American Rescue Plan Act passed into law, which included supplemental LIHEAP funds. Kuster has been an outspoken advocate for Granite State families, businesses, and frontline workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

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