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John,
Excessive heat can be deadly, and with the reality of climate change ever more obvious across the nation and world, July 2023 has gone on record as the hottest month ever.
With energy costs increasing by nearly 12% over last summer, millions of people find themselves having to choose between using fans or minimal air conditioning versus paying for rent, food, and medicines.
Without cooling, vulnerable individuals and populations such as the chronically ill or elderly can be subject to heatstroke, dehydration, and other potentially life threatening conditions.
People need help now to pay their power bills, simply to stay safe. Send a message to Congress today to increase the funding available to help those with low incomes to pay their utility bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)!
The most impacted by these soaring costs are the elderly and low-income households. The federal government provides funding to states to help low-income households pay for heating and utility bills, but unfortunately, federal funds are only available for about 1 out of 6 eligible households. That’s a lot of eligible people who aren’t funded.
Making the situation even more dire, 85% of the funding that is available is used for heating during the winter months. It’s not even available for the summer crisis.
Now, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association is asking Congress for increase of $3 billion in funding to help six million households pay their cooling bills this summer. This funding is needed to prevent life-threatening conditions.
Nearly 20 million households -- that’s 1 in 6 -- owe a total of 19.5 billion in overdue energy bills. Yet 60% of the states in the U.S. have no laws to prevent the energy companies from shutting off services to low income or elderly consumers.
Power shut-offs are up by 15% from 2022, disproportionately affecting Black households that receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) funds. 14% of these families have had their electricity shut off over the last month.
Potentially deadly heatwaves are the new normal. Congress can help solve this crisis by increasing Low Income Home Energy Assistance funding by $3 billion. Let’s help millions of families stay cool in their homes without having to worry about their utilities being shut off!
Click here to send a letter to Congress today!
Thank you for getting involved and helping solve this crisis for the families that need it the most.
- Amanda
Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund
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