Sinema urged Senate leaders of both parties to include robust funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in the next COVID-19 relief package
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema urged Senate leaders of both parties to provide robust funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which assists Arizona families facing financial strain with their energy costs, in the next COVID-19 relief package.
“We must include energy assistance funds in the next coronavirus relief package to support Arizona families struggling financially during the pandemic,” said Sinema.
This critical program targets and serves the most vulnerable households—older Americans, individuals with disabilities, and low-income children—and helps these households pay their utility bills and prevents disconnection of essential energy services. The financial strain of the pandemic and backlogged unemployment and utility assistance in Arizona has been increasing and families need more assistance than the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program can currently provide.
Currently, Arizona is only able to reach four percent of at-risk households. With more people losing access to unemployment insurance benefits after March, facing large utility and rent bills after deferring payments previously, children still learning from home, and workers not back in the office yet—households cannot afford to be without power.
Click HERE to read Sinema’s letter.