Key Facts
• June 2025: U.S. energy aid program LIHEAP faces potential termination, impacting 6 million users.
• LIHEAP staff layoffs began in April 2025 as part of federal budget cuts.
• Experts warn of record-high electricity costs during one of the hottest summers on record.
• 2024: Heat-related deaths in New York City reached 350, with lack of air conditioning as a key factor.
• 2023: Over 2,300 heatwave-related deaths in the U.S., a 117% increase since 1999.
• Cooling costs have risen nearly sixfold from 1985 to 2022.
• LIHEAP received $4 billion in federal funding in 2024, but local governments cannot replace this support.
• 17 states and Washington, D.C., ban electricity shutoffs during summer; 33 states lack such protections.
• Austin, Texas, mandates air conditioning in all residences starting summer 2025.
• Rising utility costs leave one-sixth of U.S. households behind on payments, totaling $21 billion.
Summary
The potential termination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) under the Trump administration threatens millions of vulnerable U.S. households amid rising electricity costs and record-breaking heatwaves. Experts warn that the lack of air conditioning could lead to increased heat-related deaths, particularly among low-income families, seniors, and children. LIHEAP, which received $4 billion in federal funding in 2024, has been a critical lifeline for many, but local governments cannot fully compensate for its loss. Rising utility costs, which have outpaced inflation, have already left one-sixth of U.S. households behind on payments, totaling $21 billion. While some states have implemented protections against electricity shutoffs during summer, most lack such measures. Cities like Austin, Texas, are taking steps to mandate air conditioning in all residences, but broader federal support is needed to prevent a public health crisis. Without intervention, experts predict higher social and healthcare costs as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.
