LIHEAP Appropriations Update

The following is a LIHEAP update from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association


The House voted last night to approve the FY 08 Omnibus spending bill that includes funding for 11 appropriations bills including the Labor, HHS, ED bill. The Senate takes up the measure today. The Senate is expected to add funding for the war in Iraq; if that is agreed to by the Senate and then the House, the Administration has indicated it will sign the bill. This could all be over by Friday!

Senator Sanders has been told by the Senate Leadership that he can introduce his amendment to add $800 million in additional funding (above the level contained in the Omnibus bill). The funds would be split 50-50 between regular program funds and contingency. Co-sponsors of the measure include: Snowe (ME), Collins (ME), Casey (PA), Coleman (MN), Cantwell (WA) and Obama (IL),. Discussions on co-sponsorship are also underway with Senator Dole (NC).

The bill as it now stands maintains the formula grant portion at $1.98 billion, the same level as in FY 2007. It would increase the emergency contingency fund from $181.7 million to $590.3 million.

Note: this is the final amount after applying a 1.747% across-the-board spending cut. The amount in the bill prior to the cut is $2.015 billion for the block grant; contingency funding $596.379 million of which $250 million is not subject to the across the board cut because it is included as part of a separate emergency allocation.

Stay tuned to this dial, further updates will be sent as they become available