Baldwin Announces Over $101 Million to Lower Energy Costs for Wisconsin Families

WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS), announced Wisconsin was awarded over $101.2 million to lower Wisconsin families’ home energy costs. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding comes through the 2024 federal government funding legislation with additional support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, both of which Senator Baldwin supported.

“Anyone who’s spent a winter in Wisconsin understands that the cold and snow can be dangerous. As the weather turns cold, no Wisconsin family should have to worry about if they will be able to keep their homes and families warm,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to help lower costs for working families and better ensure no Wisconsinite goes cold this winter.” 

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills by providing payment and energy crisis assistance to pay for gas, electric, and other methods customers use to heat their homes. LIHEAP funding can also be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient, and during disasters and extreme weather to mitigate energy emergencies. In Fiscal Year 2022, LIHEAP provided heat billing assistance to over 136,000 households across Wisconsin, with the average LIHEAP benefit covering $432 in winter home heating costs for Wisconsinites.

As LHHS Chair, Senator Baldwin successfully included increased funding for the LIHEAP program in the Senate’s funding legislation for the Department of Health and Human Services. The legislation successfully passed the Appropriations Committee with near-unanimous bipartisan support and now the Senator is working to pass the legislation on the floor of the Senate.

A one pager on this announcement is available here.

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