The Trump Administration and Gov. Maura Healey proceed to spar over the discharge of Low Revenue Power Help Program (LIHEAP) funding and hovering vitality prices because the climate will get colder.
After sending the Herald a written response Friday to Gov. Healey’s name for President Donald Trump to launch the LIHEAP funding instantly, Health and Human Companies Communications Director Andrew Nixon doubled down, sending the Herald one other assertion late that night time calling Healey a “complete disgrace.”
“Governor Healey should apologize to their constituents for shutting down the government and delaying this aid to the American people. She is a complete disgrace to the commonwealth of Massachusetts,” stated Nixon. “They deserve better.”
Earlier Friday, Nixon had despatched the Herald an authentic assertion in response to Healey’s requires LIHEAP funds, pointing to the latest authorities shutdown as the rationale for the delay.
“The Massachusetts Governor continues to blame the Trump Administration for the delay, rather than acknowledging responsibility within her own party, which held the government hostage during the longest shutdown in American history,” Nixon stated.
“Despite these setbacks, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is moving swiftly to distribute annual awards and restore essential services that were stalled when the Democrat-led shutdown obstructed the Department’s ability to serve the nation’s most vulnerable families,” he stated.
Spokesperson for Gov. Healey, Karissa Hand, responded to a Herald request for remark Saturday, criticizing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the backwards and forwards between the 2 authorities places of work.
“Instead of name calling, Secretary Kennedy needs to do his job. He’s failing to help Americans heat their homes, taking vaccines away from kids, and now ridiculously placing blame for a federal shutdown on the Governor of Massachusetts,” stated Hand. “We deserve a Secretary of Health and Human Services who spends his time working to lower health care costs and increase access, instead of taking coverage away from 300,000 Massachusetts residents.”
Underneath the Persevering with Decision (H.R. 5371), Congress appropriated $4.025 billion for LIHEAP. The Workplace of Group Companies (OCS) — which falls underneath the ACF umbrella — stated it plans to make use of the particular authority to launch a complete of $3.7 billion in LIHEAP funds, together with $3.6 billion of FY26 common block grant funding, plus an extra $100 million of the ultimate supplemental funding out there underneath the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Appropriations Act. The Division anticipates the funding might be launched by the top of the month.
“No more excuses,” Healey stated in a press release Friday responding to the Herald’s report. “President Trump needs to do his job and get LIHEAP money out the door so people can heat their homes.”
Healey held a press convention Thursday, calling on President Trump to “do his damn job” and launch the heating help funds instantly, saying “it is unacceptable to me that Massachusetts families and residents are going to go without heating assistance that they are due from the federal government. So, my message to Donald Trump is get that money out the door and get it out today.”
She additionally despatched a letter to Health and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of the Workplace of Administration and Price range Russell Vought, urging the administration to launch the very best allowable quantity of LIHEAP funding licensed underneath the Persevering with Decision (H.R. 5371).
The governor is seeing help from at the least one member of the state’s federal delegation.
Democratic Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-08) posted on X Thursday following Healey’s press convention, saying “More than 300,000 people across Massachusetts are struggling to keep their homes warm because the Trump administration is holding federal home heating assistance hostage. Grateful to @MassGovernor for joining our demand to release this winter’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds!”
Earlier this week, a brand new report, launched by the Fiscal Alliance Basis and reported on by the Herald, discovered state local weather insurance policies and mandates are the first driver behind hovering vitality prices in Massachusetts. The governor says she disagrees with the report’s findings.
