Fiedler, Matzie introduce resolution urging Congress to fully fund LIHEAP, reinstate fired employees
Philadelphia House Delegation October 21, 2025 | 11:01 AM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – Today, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Rep. Robert Matzie, D-Beaver, introduced a resolution urging Congress and President Donald Trump to permanently reinstate federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program employees and to increase funding for the program.
LIHEAP is a federal cash grant program that helps low-income families across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., heat and cool their homes, make emergency repairs, and prevent shutoffs of essential utilities. In Pennsylvania, 300,000 households depend on LIHEAP for heating assistance in a typical year.
On April 2, Trump laid off all federal staff responsible for administering LIHEAP and proposed zero funding in his fiscal year 2026 federal budget, leaving Pennsylvanians in the lurch.
“Staying warm in the winter is not a partisan issue. Red, blue, doesn’t matter. People in all areas of our commonwealth depend on LIHEAP funding to get them safely through the coldest months. It’s a federal program that literally saves lives,” said Matzie. “It seems unconscionable that funding would be withheld, but here we are. And let’s be clear, this has nothing to with the current shutdown – the funding was cut in the proposed federal budget. This resolution is a simple plea to Congress to do the right thing. Restore LIHEAP funding. People’s lives depend on it.”
One in five Pennsylvania households report problems paying their bills, and close to 200,000 have experienced a gas or electric shutoff in 2025.
“Pennsylvanians are facing an affordability crisis. Skyrocketing utility costs mean that without LIHEAP assistance, the heat may not go on at all,” said Fiedler. “But LIHEAP is a lifeline. Since I took office, my team has helped countless neighbors access the program, and for many, it’s the only thing keeping their families warm in the winter. Cutting this program is cruel and dangerous, and I hope our national representatives understand what’s at stake.”
In the absence of LIHEAP funds, low-income households with seniors, children and members with disabilities may rely on dangerous electric space heaters or ovens to warm their homes -- or be left to suffer extreme and potentially fatal temperatures with no heat at all.
The program typically enjoys bipartisan support, and is viewed favorably by utilities, industry groups and trade associations including the Energy Association of Pennsylvania and the American Gas Association. Pennsylvania utilities have collected over $500 million in LIHEAP payments in recent years.
House Resolution 350 awaits consideration by the House Energy Committee, chaired by Fiedler.