Gillibrand calls for funding for low-income water program

WASHINGTON, D.C. | On Jan. 18, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called for continued federal funding for the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) in the upcoming government funding bill. LIHWAP is a federal program that assists households whose drinking water and/or wastewater services have been disconnected, or are about to be disconnected, because of inability to pay. Since the program's creation in 2021, LIHWAP has helped over one million households nationwide, including over 35,000 in New York, afford their water and wastewater bills. However, LIHWAP's funding expired in 2023 and can no longer provide this critical assistance. "The average household spends more than $1,000 a year on water bills. That's just another expense families already struggling with the high cost of groceries, gas, child care, and energy bills can't afford," said Sen. Gillibrand. "For these families, the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program provides a lifeline. It might be the only thing preventing their water from being cut off and protecting them from the devastating consequences of living with no running water. But funding for LIHWAP ran out last year, meaning that now, families who were relying on this assistance have nowhere to turn. That is unacceptable. I am calling on my colleagues to include continued funding for LIHWAP in the upcoming government funding bill to make sure no New Yorker goes without such a basic and necessary utility." Congress established and provided $1.1 billion for LIHWAP through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Since its creation in 2021, LIHWAP has helped more than 1 million households across the country maintain or restore water service. Nationwide, at least 13,000 water and wastewater systems in low-income, tribal, rural, and urban communities have participated in the program to date. However, LIHWAP was established as a temporary program and funding expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2023, ending a lifeline for families in need across the country. The letter was also signed by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA),Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The full text of Sen. Gillibrand's letter to Senate Appropriations Committee leadership is included below: Dear Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, Chair Baldwin, and Ranking Member Capito: We appreciate the Administration's work to establish the first-ever Federal Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) and urge the Committee to provide continued funding for LIHWAP at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) in any Fiscal Year 2024 funding bill. Congress provided $1.1 billion in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and American Rescue Plan of 2021 to provide critical assistance to low-income households with water and sewer bills. Since its creation in 2021 LIHWAP has helped more than 1.1 million households across the country maintain or restore water service. Nationwide, at least 13,000 water and wastewater systems in low-income, Tribal, rural, and urban communities have participated in the program to date. However, LIHWAP was established as a temporary program and funding expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2023, ending a lifeline for families in need across the country. Water and sewer bills are rising more than twice as quickly as inflation and increasing faster than energy bills, medical expenses, and household incomes. As more than 150 organizations wrote in the attached letter, including water associations, environmental and public interest, consumer advocates, and labor unions, the need for low-income household water assistance is just as important to public health and economic development as other basic needs such as home energy and nutrition, which have benefitted from Federal support for decades. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act made a historic investment in the nation's water infrastructure, including the authorization of a program directing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement a pilot program to provide federal low-income water customer assistance. As Congress works towards authorizing a permanent water assistance program to safeguard water affordability, we urge the Committee to provide continued funding for LIHWAP so that we may continue to provide critical water assistance to our most vulnerable children and families and ensure that those who need the help in paying their water bills are able to do so. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

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Gillibrand calls for funding for low-income water program

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