NEWARK, NJ – Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) led all New Jersey House and Senate Democrats in condemning the recent surprise firing of the entire staff responsible for administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and calling for assurances that the program would not stall. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today, the members demanded Kennedy reinstate those fired workers, expedite the distribution of LIHEAP funds to people in need, and present a plan to ensure no delays or stoppages of LIHEAP occur in New Jersey or nationally.
The purge of the department means that the fate of the remaining millions in 2025 LIHEAP funds hangs in limbo. This money was previously approved by Congress.
“The abrupt dismissal of the staff responsible for administering these funds threatens the distribution of aid to families in our community who need it most, particularly as we approach the summer months when extreme temperatures make cooling assistance critical,” wrote McIver and the members. “The elimination of LIHEAP’s Division of Energy Assistance staff not only disrupts the current operations but also casts uncertainty on the future of LIHEAP…This delay will have dire consequences for low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities who are already struggling to afford their utility bills.”
New Jersey is the fastest-warming state on the East Coast and one of the fastest-warming nationwide. More than 240,000 New Jersey households rely on LIHEAP for assistance in affording heating and cooling, and the program funnels millions to the state each year. Any delays to cooling assistance as the summer months approach will have devastating consequences.
Rep. McIver, along with Sens. Booker and Kim, and Reps. Pallone, Norcross, Watson Coleman, Gottheimer, Sherill, Menendez, Conaway and Pou await response from the department on their calls to protect LIHEAP and reinstate its workers.
Read their full letter to Secretary Kennedy here.