Congress set to reject proposal to cut low-income heating assistance - Lewiston Sun Journal

The U.S. Senate’s Appropriations Committee has agreed to restore $37.4 million in federal heating assistance funding for low-income households that was threatened to be diverted by the Trump administration as part of President Trump’s plan to battle coronavirus.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon that the deal had been struck with lawmakers, as part of a $7.8 billion bill to fund efforts to combat the coronavirus. The virus – COVID-19 – has so far infected more than 92,000 worldwide, causing 3,200 deaths. The virus is not yet widespread in the United States, but 10 Americans have died.

“I strongly opposed the transfer of vital heating assistance funds and worked closely with U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., – my longtime partner on this issue – to protect the program, which is so important to our seniors and low-income families in Maine,” Collins said in a tweet.

President Trump had proposed cutting public health programs and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to pay for the coronavirus response.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the full coronavirus bill later this afternoon.

The full Maine congressional delegation, including Collins, Sen. Angus King, and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden had criticized President Trump last week for the proposed cuts to LIHEAP.

Last week, Pingree, D-1st District, joined Democratic Reps. Joseph Kennedy of Massachusetts and Peter Welch of Vermont in drafting a letter to the House and Senate appropriations committees asking them to reject the administration’s entire $2.5 billion emergency funding request.

In 2019, more than 30,000 Maine households received $36 million in assistance through the program, which provides money for repairing and replacing heating systems and weatherization improvements in addition to emergency fuel assistance.

This story will be updated.

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