Democrats' Bill Would 'End Energy Poverty' In the United States
“The fact is that no one, anywhere in this country, should have to resort to using their stoves or turning on space heaters because of exorbitantly high bills,” congressman says
A pair of congressional Democrats have introduced legislation which would expand federal energy assistance available to Americans, and would “end energy poverty” in the United States as a result, according to one expert.
Rep Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, legislation to invest in and expand the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to universalize energy assistance, according to a statement from the lawmakers’ offices.
Currently, it is estimated that only 16 percent of households eligible for LIHEAP are actually served, the statement said.
“There is no reason why, in the richest nation on Earth, people in our communities should be forced to choose between staying warm in the winter or cool in the summer and being able to make rent or put food on the table,” Bowman said. “Senator Markey and I are working toward an America that respects our collective humanity and our Heating and Cooling Relief Act makes it so that every family can afford their energy bills.
“This is a racial and economic justice issue, with Black, Latino and Indigenous households all experiencing disproportionately high energy burdens,” the congressman added. “The lack of energy assistance is also a public health crisis, with high energy burdens associated with a greater risk for respiratory diseases and heat strokes.
“The fact is that no one, anywhere in this country, should have to resort to using their stoves or turning on space heaters because of exorbitantly high bills,” he said. “This legislation is a bold approach to energy assistance that meets the moment by making energy assistance much more accessible to tens of millions more people and I am proud to have a partner in Senator Markey as we take on this fight.”
Specifically, according to the lawmakers, the Heating and Cooling Relief Act would:
Increase annual funding for LIHEAP to $40 billion and expands eligibility to ensure that no household pays more than three percent of its annual income on energy costs;
Minimize the barriers to administering and applying LIHEAP by allowing households to self-attest to eligibility criteria; increases the administrative cap for outreach, technological and staffing purposes; and ensures LIHEAP coordinators are paid a living wage;
Protect consumers by ensuring no eligible household has its utilities shutoff or pays late fees, that every household receiving funds can have their utility debt cleared, and that utility companies set up discounted payment plans to support consumers;
Ensure states can use LIHEAP to address climate adaptation by increasing funding for cooling assistance and ensuring households can access utility assistance during major disasters; and
Increase funding made available for weatherization through LIHEAP, and establishes a new Just Transition Grant for states and localities to help reduce energy burdens for LIHEAP-eligible households and promote renewable energy usage.
“The Heating and Cooling Relief Act would end energy poverty in the US by providing that no family would spend more than 3 percent of their family’s budget on home energy and would provide states with the flexibility to weatherize up to 1 million homes per year,” said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (NEADA). “The net result will be an end to the stubbornly high utility arrears and shut-offs that low income families have been struggling with for many years.”
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