Sponsors (10)
The bill ensures uninterrupted energy assistance to vulnerable households and continuity for state programs during shutdowns, at the cost of authorizing an uncapped federal spending mechanism that could increase fiscal exposure and set a precedent for other programs.
Low-income households that rely on LIHEAP will continue to receive heating and cooling assistance during federal government shutdowns, preventing dangerous loss of energy aid.
State-administered energy assistance programs and their local administrators avoid disruption because federal LIHEAP payments continue despite a lapse in appropriations.
Taxpayers face open-ended federal spending for LIHEAP during shutdowns because the appropriation has no dollar cap.
Creating an uncapped emergency appropriation for one program could set a precedent, encouraging similar open-ended funding requests for other programs during shutdowns and complicating budget discipline.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Provides open-ended Treasury appropriations to continue LIHEAP energy-assistance payments during any lapse in discretionary appropriations (government shutdown).
Introduced October 14, 2025 by Raul Ruiz · Last progress October 14, 2025
Provides Treasury authority to pay Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefits during any lapse in discretionary appropriations (a federal government shutdown) by appropriating “such sums as are necessary” to make those payments. The measure applies only to continuing LIHEAP payments during shutdowns and does not set a dollar cap. The change is narrowly focused on keeping energy assistance flowing to eligible low-income households during funding lapses. It does not create new programs, change LIHEAP eligibility, or explicitly specify an effective date in the text provided.