U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), led 10 of their Senate colleagues, including Senator Angus King, in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on the recently reported elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) workforce.

As a result of the Administration’s reduction of about 10,000 employees from HHS, the entire staff running the $4.1 billion LIHEAP, which helps millions of American households afford their heating and cooling bills, has reportedly been cut, according to a news release from Sen. Collins' office.

The federally funded LIHEAP is a crucial lifeline that helps 6.2 million low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills, including those who use natural gas, propane, electricity, and home heating oil. Without this assistance, many Americans may not be able to afford their utility bills and could end up falling victim to extreme weather.

“We are concerned that the reported staff terminations will undermine the HHS’s ability to deliver this critical funding to low-income seniors and families,” the Senators wrote. “We are also concerned that the local community action agencies that help enroll qualified beneficiaries could be weakened by other actions and funding cuts being undertaken by HHS and the Department of Government Efficiency.”

The Senators also highlighted that the termination of the entire staff that oversees LIHEAP could hold up hundreds of millions of dollars in funding that Congress already appropriated to assist low-income Americans.

“As you know, our states are expecting HHS to release nearly $400 million in FY25 funding later this month.  Any delay in providing this funding will set back efforts to provide summer cooling grants, weatherize low-income homes, and plan for the next winter heating season,” the Senators continued.

HHS has already released 90 percent of those federal funds to state partners. The remaining 10 percent, almost $400 million, used by states to pay for summer cooling, and emergency funding for households that need additional assistance and weatherization, cannot be released until HHS determines the state-by-state allocation. Now, it’s unclear how the remaining funds could be disbursed to the states.

“Access to affordable home energy is a matter of health and safety for many low-income households, children, and seniors. To that end, we urge you to reverse course on any staffing or funding cuts that would jeopardize the distribution of these funds to our constituents,” the Senators concluded.

Senators Collins, Reed, and Murkowski led the successful effort to provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP this fiscal year, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.  

In addition to Senators Collins, Reed, Murkowski, and King, the letter was signed by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Edward Markey (D-MA) Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

The complete text of the letter can be read here.