Advocacy & Public Policy

Coalition Bsnner

Advocacy and Public Policy

LIHEAP Action During the Congressional Recess

Every August, both the U.S. House of Representative and U.S. Senate recess for the month, leaving our nation’s capital to spend time back No Deposit Bonus With No Max Cashout.

This recess period is a good time to interact with your elected officials and to share your stories about energy assistance for low-income and at-risk families. It is also a key time to discuss the appropriations process, as neither the House nor the Senate have passed the appropriations bill that fund the Low Income No Deposit Bonus With No Max Cashout Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Congress must pass some bill – either a full fiscal year funding bill or a stopgap measure called a Continuing Resolution – before the new fiscal year begins on October 1.

Your advocacy will be key to ensuring maximum funding for LIHEAP in such a bill. Accordingly, we urge you to work with your colleagues to schedule meetings, or invite your elected officials to tour your facilities, during this recess period. Recess this year lasts until Sunday, September 8.

Coordinate With Your State Team
Click here for a list of state team leaders. Please let them know what meetings you have scheduled, or coordinate with them to set up meetings.

Contact Your Elected Officials
Use these links to identify your elected officials. From there, you can find their official websites, and contact information for their local offices.

To find your Representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
To find your Senator: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Making a meeting request via phone is likely the quickest method.

Bring Along Information and Stories
We suggest leaving behind two items:

The state fact sheet that was prepared for LIHEAP Action Day detailing funding, eligibility and service levels for your state; and
A “multi-party” letter with national and local advocates, supporting at least $4.7 billion

Also bring the local stories, and people, who have benefited from LIHEAP. These testimonials are more powerful than any piece of paper that you can offer. If you use social media, please make sure to post anything regarding progress you make with congressional visits on your organizations social media sites and reciprocate on NEUAC.

Support the FY 2015 All Parties Letter on LIHEAP

The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition encourages your organization to support the FY 2015 All Parties Letter to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Appropriations Committees, asking for at least $4.7 billion for the Low Income No Deposit Bonus With No Max Cashout Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help protect vulnerable households from America’s cold winters and hot summers. Click here to read a copy of the 2015 letter. To become a signatory, click here.

The state-by-state list of LIHEAP facts!

As in past years, the organizers of LIHEAP Action Day are provided state fact sheets for use in visits to Capitol Hill and meetings in your local congressional offices. Data is presented in aphabetical order by state. To view the list, click on this link. Then go to the page for your state and print the document.

LIHEAP Action Day again a productive day on the Hill

Well over 100 people converged in Washington on March 26, 2014, for a day of visits with Members of Congress and their staffs to talk about theLow Income No Deposit Bonus With No Max Cashout Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the need to provide adequate funding for the program. LIHEAP Action Day offered a proven, effective opportunity to educongress about the increasing energy burden on low-income Americans. It also offered an ideal opportunity to explain the urgent need to return LIHEAP to at least $4.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2015.

Funding for LIHEAP has fallen by nearly one-third in recent years, from $5.1 billion to $3.4 billion, while the need for energy assistance for our most vulnerable populations has increased. We need your year around to demonstrate to Congress how LIHEAP affects their constituents.

In addition to coordinating LIHEAP Action Day activities, the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition hosted a reception at the Russell Senate Office Building, where it presented itate Cs Extra Mile Award to United States Sen. Lisa Murkowski, D-Alaska, recognizing her steadfast effort to provide adequate funding for LIHEAP. Pictured below are some of the photos from the Action Day briefing hosted by the American Gas Association on March 26 and from the evening reception on Capitol Hill.


Members of the LIHEAP Action Day team examined the award being presented to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, D-AK.	NEUAC President John Rich presented the coalition's Extra Mile Award to Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.	Senator Murkowski accepts the Extra Mile Award as NEUAC President John Rich and Advocacy Chairman Dan Alderson look on.	LIHEAP Action Day attendees relaxed at the NEUAC reception following a long and very, productive day on Capitol Hill.

National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition
303 East 17th Avenue, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80203