Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the LIHEAP And Energy Assistance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Shutdown delays LIHEAP funding; Minnesota officials warn of cold‑season risks for vulnerable households
Summary
Minnesota Energy Assistance officials told a Senate subcommittee that LIHEAP funding is delayed without a continuing resolution, preventing bill‑payment benefits from being issued now and risking deliveries for households that heat with propane or fuel oil, especially in Greater Minnesota.
State energy‑assistance officials told a Senate subcommittee that the federal shutdown has delayed routine LIHEAP awards and could create immediate hardship for income‑qualified households that heat with delivered fuels.
"Right now we don't have enough funding to be able to do that," Michael Schmitz, director of the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program, said, explaining that Minnesota typically receives roughly 90% of its annual award after an October continuing resolution and that award timing is usually around Nov. 1. He said the state is using a $3 million carryover to address furnace repairs but cannot issue bill‑payment benefits until the federal award arrives.
Schmitz said the average annual income for program recipients is about $24,000 and that households may receive between $200 and $2,000 annually depending on need. He added that roughly two‑thirds of LIHEAP funding goes to Greater Minnesota and that many delivery‑fuel customers (propane/fuel oil) are not protected by Minnesota’s cold‑weather rule.
Committee members asked how long it would take to receive funds after a continuing resolution; Schmitz said HHS processing typically takes about a month but emphasized uncertainty because recent federal staff changes removed institutional knowledge. "Even if a continuing resolution were signed today, it probably still take a month for the US Department of Health and Human Services to get us the funds," he said.
Lawmakers pressed for short‑term remedies and for compiled lists of emergency resources (food, fuel, housing, childcare) to help residents while federal awards are pending. Officials said utilities were asked to hold off on disconnections for households that have applied for assistance, but noted that delivered‑fuel providers often lack capacity to deliver on credit.
Next steps: the committee directed staff to assemble resource contacts for affected employees and households and signaled further oversight of the timeline for federal awards.
