WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is set to provide more than $1 billion over the next several weeks to help low-income families pay their energy bills, an agency spokesman said on Friday.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, commonly known as LIHEAP, was allocated $5.1 billion for fiscal year 2010, including more than $590 million in emergency funding.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the energy assistance program, plans to release around $1 billion in block grants next week, department spokesman Kenneth Wolfe told Reuters.
The department will also likely release some of the emergency funds in the next few weeks, Wolfe said. This contingency funding would supplement the block grants states are already receiving.
U.S. lawmakers on Friday encouraged the White House to release the $590 million in emergency money to help residents cope with frigid temperatures across the country and high unemployment.
"We urge you to release these resources as soon as possible to address the needs of families and seniors who are struggling in the current economic crisis," the senators said in a letter to President Barack Obama.
Although the energy program is slated to receive more funding than ever before this year, the demand for assistance continues to outpace the financial support, the letter said.
Led by Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine, the letter was signed by 48 senators
(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Christian Wiessner)
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