Congress is out of session until Monday, November 9 for the midterm campaign. No new roll-call votes until then; the last were the House on Sep 16 and the Senate on Sep 30.

Stories / Social Welfare / Event · Sep 17 – Oct 2, 2026

LIHEAP Funding Distribution

Members of Congress are urging the Trump administration to distribute Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds before the winter heating season. Seventeen members, primarily Democrats with some Republican support, have sent letters and introduced legislation requesting immediate fund distribution by November 1, 2026. Proposals include increasing LIHEAP funding to $7 billion and adding $1 billion in additional assistance for low-income heating costs.

AI summary of the releases below · Oct 6, 2026

17Members · 16 D · 1 R
14Actions · 14 D · 0 R
10States & territories · NH · NY · RI · MA lead
0Bills named

How the conversation moved

Democrat Republican · one dot = one action
Action typeWk ofSep 3Wk ofSep 10Wk ofSep 176Wk ofSep 246Wk ofOct 12Total
Requested actionDeclarations, investigations, decisions 3
Sent lettersTo agencies, companies, officials 10
Filed or pushed billsNew, reintroduced or passed 1

Where they stand

Support · 10

  • DRyan NYDemanded HHS distribute LIHEAP funds without delay to low-income households
  • ISanders VTUrged emergency appropriation increase for low-income home heating assistance
  • DPappas NHIntroduced American Homes First Act for $1 billion LIHEAP increase
  • DGoodlander NHUrged HHS to distribute funds promptly to help households with heating costs
  • DKlobuchar MNUrged rapid release of heating assistance funds for families.
  • DShaheen NHUrged HHS to release funds by November 1 deadline
  • DMerkley ORDemanding release of $4 billion in heating assistance funds
  • DMarkey MAUrged HHS to swiftly distribute $4 billion in LIHEAP aid before winter
  • DLuján NMUrged HHS to swiftly distribute LIHEAP aid before winter
  • RCollins MEUrged HHS to swiftly release LIHEAP funds for low-income heating assistance

Oppose · 2

  • DWyden ORDemanded release of all available LIHEAP funds before November deadline
  • DGillibrand NYOpposes withholding heating assistance funding amid rising fuel prices

What each party did · Democrats 14 · Republicans 0

  • 3Requested action0
  • 10Sent letters0
  • 1Filed or pushed bills0

By state

  • NH4
  • NY2
  • RI2
  • MA2
  • MN2
  • OR2
  • VT1
  • NV1

+2 more with fewer actions

Every action

14 actions · 18 releases
  1. Oct 2, 2026
    • Request

      DRyan NY

      Demanded HHS distribute LIHEAP funds and co-sponsored bill to expand home energy assistance.

      Release ↗

  2. Oct 1, 2026
    • Letter

      ISanders VT $7B

      Urged Trump administration to increase LIHEAP funding to $7 billion for home heating assistance.

      Release ↗

  3. Sep 28, 2026
    • Bill

      DPappas NH $1B

      Introduced bill to increase LIHEAP funding by $1 billion for low-income heating assistance.

      Release ↗

    • Letter

      DAmo RI

      Led bipartisan effort urging HHS to distribute LIHEAP funds to states by November 1, 2026.

      Release ↗

  4. Sep 25, 2026
  5. Sep 24, 2026
  6. Sep 23, 2026
    • Request

      DSmith MN

      Led bipartisan push to release LIHEAP heating assistance funds before winter.

      Release ↗

  7. Sep 21, 2026
  8. Sep 18, 2026
    • Letter

      DMarkey MA $4B

      Urged Trump administration to swiftly release $4 billion in LIHEAP funding before winter heating season.

      Release ↗

  9. Sep 17, 2026

Summaries, action types, amounts and positions are read from each press release by AI and can be wrong. Joint releases (same day, same action, matching title or amount) count once. How it works