With temperatures beginning to drop in areas across the United States, some states are warning that funding for the program is being delayed because of the federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week. The anticipated delay comes as a majority of the 5.9 million households served by the federally funded heating and cooling assistance program are grappling with the sudden postponement of benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.
"The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides support to some 6 million Americans and has bipartisan support in Congress, particularly among Republicans such as Maine Sen. Susan Collins."
