LIHEAP Delayed until Dec. 3, SNAP & WIC ending in November

Rep. Carol Kazeem October 31, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Dear Neighbor,

This week at the Capitol, I spent my time working hard to get key legislation passed for our communities throughout Pennsylvania. I am working tirelessly to ensure that your voices heard in the debates about critical issues impacting quality of life in our communities.

OFFICE CLOSURE: Please note, my office will be closed this Tuesday, Nov. 4 for Election Day. We will reopen on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

In this week’s e-newsletter:

Change Smoke and CO Alarm Batteries This Weekend
Upcoming Events: Veterans Outreach (11/19), Toys for Tots (now through Dec. 5)
GOP-led federal government shutdown delays home heating help, ends food benefits in November and will force health insurance premiums to rise
Tell Your Senator to Act Now on the Budget
In the Capitol: Legislative Update
State Grant Program Funding Available
Student Opportunities

Change Smoke and CO Alarm Batteries This Weekend

With Daylight Saving Time ending this weekend, the Office of the State Fire Commissioner reminds Pennsylvanians to change the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms at the beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time. Working alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by up to half.

Need a smoke alarm? You can request a free smoke alarm from the American Red Cross here.

Safety Tips:

Test alarms monthly and replace units every 10 years.
Make a home escape plan with two ways out of each room and a safe meeting place outside.
Assist children, older adults, or anyone who may need extra time to evacuate.

Call 9-1-1 once everyone is safely outside.

Upcoming Events

Veterans Outreach at

Chester District Office Location

I’ve organized this event so our district’s veterans can talk directly with a representative from Veterans Affairs about programs and resources that can help them. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

If you have any questions, please contact my office at (610) 876-6420.

Toys for Tots

Help make Christmas a little brighter for local children by contributing to the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots. You can drop off unwrapped toys for kids up to age 16 at either of my district offices.

If you have any questions, please contact my office at (610) 876-6420.

GOP-led federal government shutdown delays home heating help, ends food benefits in November and will force health insurance premiums to rise

I hate to be the bearer of bad news - but it's important that you know what the GOP-run federal government in Washington, D.C. is up to and how it affects your household.

SNAP benefits will not be paid beginning early November. Recipients should continue to respond to semi-annual renewals from DHS, report changes, and provide information to update their cases for the new federal work reporting requirements that start November (and also those already in effect).

Please contact my office for support with SNAP forms.

Local food pantries in our district are: Chester, Delaware County, Delaware County Interfaith, Marcus Hook.

WIC benefits will not be paid after November 9.

The opening of LIHEAP season has been postponed until Dec 3.

If you need help heating your home this winter, here’s a list of utility companies’ assistance programs.

https://www.puc.pa.gov/about-the-puc/consumer-education/utility-assistance-programs/.

Additionally, Pennsylvania’s annual winter utility shutoff moratorium runs from December 1 through March 31 and prevents utilities—including electricity and gas services—from being shut off for customers of regulated utility companies whose income is at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. While this moratorium prevents shutoffs during the coldest months of the year, it does not cancel a customer’s outstanding home-heating bills. LIHEAP funding remains essential for individuals who need assistance keeping their homes heated.

Pennie enrollees should expect an average increase of 22% to their premiums as Congress allows the expiration of COVID-era tax credits.

Worse, Congressional Republicans already passed President Trump's bill to remove all federal support for the ACA, kicking the cost to our constituents and neighbors. The average Pennsylvanian’s health insurance bill will go up by 208% -- from an average of $279 a month to $860 a month, per person (Urban Institute).

Open enrollment for Pennie runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. This is your opportunity to find a plan that best fits your budget.

Pennie offers free help by phone and in-person across the state. Visit pennie.com(opens in a new tab) or call 1-844-844-8040 for assistance.

For immediate needs during the shutdown, Pennsylvanians can use PA Navigate pa-navigate.org/ to help find resources. Local help is also available by calling 211 or visiting www.pa211.org.

Please contact my office for support finding resources by calling (610) 876-6420 or emailing RepKazeen@pahouse.net.

Tell Your Senator to Act Now on the State Budget

Tell your Senator it’s long past time to get back to work and pass a budget that helps you.

The Pennsylvania budget is months overdue, and hardworking families are paying the price. Your kids’ schools can’t afford books. Your county is cutting essential services that people rely on every day.

The PA House passed a responsible budget that addresses these problems without raising taxes. But Senate Republican leaders refuse to act—instead, they’re pointing fingers and deflecting blame for their own failures.

Tell Senate leaders enough is enough. It’s time to stand up for you and pass a budget that puts Pennsylvanians first.

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus | Take Action

Legislative Update

My colleagues and I in the PA House have continued to do our job of advancing legislation to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians while waiting for the Republican-controlled Senate to get serious about state budget negotiations:

• H.B. 1063 protects consumers by preventing scalpers from using “grinch bot” software to purchase items over the internet in bulk for the purpose of resale and not personal use.
• H.B. 1512 provides consumers with the ability to repair their own electronics or have them repaired by independent repair technicians.
• H.B. 1828 protects vaccine access by requiring that private insurers cover vaccines recommended by the PA Department of Health, which can draw upon the expertise of several professional medical societies for recommendations.
• HB 1123 promotes early detection of colorectal cancer by lowering the age screenings are covered and updating the kinds of tests covered.
• HB 1882 ensures reverse mortgage contracts are readable for older consumers by requiring larger print on the contract and disclosures.
• HB 1862 makes it easier to get licenses for ignition interlock devices, which reduce recidivism among DUI offenders.

State Grant Program Funding Available

The latest grant opportunities from the state have been released! My office is happy to connect you with government funding opportunities like these, so please reach out if you have any questions or need a letter of support.

Student Opportunity

America250PA Semiquincentennial Scholarship Program

To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and honor Pennsylvania’s strong commitment to education, America250PA will award $250,000 in scholarships to deserving Pennsylvania students attending in-state colleges next school year.

Any Pennsylvania high school senior planning to attend a college or university in Pennsylvania for the 2026–27 academic year is eligible to apply. Twenty-five scholarships of $10,000 each will be awarded.

Applications are due January 31, 2026. More details, including matching opportunities from partner institutions, can be found here.