	Introduction

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), established by Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 ( P.L. 97-35 ), is a program through which the federal government gives states, tribes, and territories annual grants to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. The LIHEAP statute provides for two primary types of program funding: regular funds (sometimes referred to as block grant or formula funds) and emergency contingency funds. Regular funds are allotted to states according to a formula prescribed by the LIHEAP statute. Funds may be used for program administration , limited to 10% of the allotment. Eligibility Based on Income: Grantees have the option of setting LIHEAP eligibility for households at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines or, if greater, 60% of the state median income. In FY2014, an estimated 6.3 million households received heating and/or winter crisis assistance (the bulk of LIHEAP assistance that is provided). FY2010 through FY2012 saw the highest number of households receiving cooling and/or summer crisis assistance—1.1 million households in each year, compared to 900,000 in FY2009 and 800,000 in FY2014. The LIHEAP statute also authorizes emergency contingency funds, which may be distributed to one or more states, tribes, or territories at the discretion of the Administration. Recent LIHEAP Funding

			FY2019 LIHEAP Funding

For FY2019, as in FY2018, the President's budget proposed no funding for LIHEAP. The House Appropriations Committee released a draft bill to fund the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) in FY2019 on June 14, 2018. The bill would provide the same level of funding for LIHEAP as in FY2018—$3.640 billion in regular funds. As of the date of this report, the Senate Appropriations Committee had not yet released an LHHS bill. FY2018 LIHEAP Funding

In FY2018, the appropriation for LIHEAP was $3.640 billion, provided as part of the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act ( P.L. 115-141 ), enacted on March 23, 2018. The appropriation exceeded the FY2017 level of $3.390 billion by $250 million. Before enactment of P.L. 115-141 , LIHEAP funding for FY2018 was provided through a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) that funded most federal programs at their FY2017 appropriations levels, less an across-the-board reduction of 0.6791%. 115-141 , HHS announced the distribution of the remainder of appropriated funds on April 23, 2018. For funds distributed to states, tribes, and territories, see Table B-1 . Utility companies and state and local governments provide significant heating and cooling assistance. See Table B-3 . In FY1977, as part of a supplemental appropriations act ( P.L. P.L. States could use funds to help low-income households pay home energy costs. On October 20, 2017, HHS announced the first distribution of FY2018 funds to states, tribes, and territories, totaling more than $3 billion.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), established in 1981 as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35), is a program through which the federal government makes annual grants to states, tribes, and territories to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. The LIHEAP statute authorizes two types of funds: regular funds (sometimes referred to as formula or block grant funds), which are allocated to all states using a statutory formula, and emergency contingency funds, which are allocated to one or more states at the discretion of the Administration in cases of emergency as defined by the LIHEAP statute.
States may use LIHEAP funds to help low-income households pay for heating and cooling costs, for crisis assistance, weatherization assistance, and services (such as counseling) to reduce the need for energy assistance. The LIHEAP statute establishes federal eligibility for households with incomes at or below 150% of poverty or 60% of state median income, whichever is higher, although states may set lower limits.
The largest share of LIHEAP funding goes to pay for heating assistance. In FY2014, the most recent year for which data are available, approximately 49% of funds went to pay for heating assistance, 7% was used for cooling aid, 21% went to crisis assistance, and 9% was used for weatherization. Funds are also used for administration (9% in FY2014) and up to 10% of a state's allotment can be carried over for use in the next fiscal year (4% in FY2014). In FY2014, approximately 6.3 million households received heating and/or winter crisis assistance, and 800,000 received cooling and/or summer crisis assistance.
For FY2018, the LIHEAP appropriation was $3.640 billion in regular funds, enacted as part of the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-141), an increase of $250 million over the FY2017 funding level. Before enactment of P.L. 115-141, on March 23, 2018, LIHEAP had been funded through a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) at the FY2017 appropriations level of $3.390 billion in regular funds, less an across-the-board reduction of 0.6791% (P.L. 115-56). On October 20, 2017, HHS announced the first distribution of FY2018 LIHEAP funds under the CR, and on April 23, 2018, HHS announced the distribution of the remainder of funds appropriated pursuant to P.L. 115-141. For FY2018 funds distributed to states, tribes, and territories, see Table B-1.
For FY2019, as in FY2018, the President's budget proposed to eliminate funding for LIHEAP (see Table B-3). As of the date of this report, the House Appropriations Committee had released its draft FY2019 funding bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS), which proposed funding LIHEAP at its FY2018 level of $3.640 billion. The Senate Appropriations Committee had not yet released an FY2019 LHHS funding bill.