ICYMI: Trump Administration Cuts Will Raise Utility Costs for Georgia Families
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Atlanta, GA — Yesterday, the Trump administration fired the entire staff working in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) within the Department of Health and Human Services, which has been helping low-income Americans save money on their utility bills since 1981. Congress previously approved $4.1 billion for the program for fiscal year 2025.
“Far too many Georgia families already struggle to pay their utility bills, and these reckless cuts will make the problem worse,” said Georgia State Director Mark McLaurin. “Slashing a program that Georgians rely on has dangerous consequences: without support for utility bills, Georgia families will freeze in winter and overheat in summer, leading to ER visits, missed work, eviction and even death.”
In fiscal year 2023, Georgia received more than$159 million from LIHEAP —federal aid that helped over 137,000 households. That includes:
- 111,620 households receiving heating assistance during winter storms, with an average benefit of $480 per household.
- That also includes 129,663 households receiving cooling assistance during the summer months, with an average benefit of $499 per household.
Vulnerable Georgians rely on the protections of LIHEAP, including older adults, families with small children, and people with disabilities.
In fiscal year 2024, Georgia’s LIHEAP funding went down to $93 million —even as energy costs rise and Georgia families are forced to navigate unpredictable and extreme weather. Now, with the whole staff managing LIHEAP laid off, the fate of the program and Georgians’ ability to access this vital assistance is even more uncertain.
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