In Support of Fully Funding and Staffing the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program

Adopted at the 93rd Annual Meeting in 2025

  • WHEREAS, Congress created the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help millions of Americans pay their energy bills at a time when more and more households experience extreme weather; and

    WHEREAS, the creation of LIHEAP was a monumental shift in the federal government's ability to ensure Americans remain financially stable while using air conditioning and heating at a higher rate; and

    WHEREAS, climate change is expanding the map of those impacted by extreme heat, and places previously considered safe are now facing summer temperatures in excess of 100 degrees; and

    WHEREAS, extreme heat is now the #1 cause of weather-related deaths and climate change has contributed to erratic weather patterns, resulting in more extreme cold events and higher heating costs; and

    WHEREAS, Congress decreased LIHEAP funding beginning in 2024; and

    WHEREAS, these cuts led to a sharp increase in costs and overdue utility bills among low-income Americans; and

    WHEREAS, President Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget request proposes to eliminate LIHEAP, and in 2025 the Trump Administration fired the staff responsible for implementing LIHEAP;

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress to fully fund LIHEAP; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the Trump Administration to reinstate and hire staff to ensure LIHEAP is fully functional; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors urges states to work in close collaboration with cities to ensure LIHEAP funding meets the greatest needs in their communities.
    •  
      Back to Committee

      View all Resolutions