Heating and Cooling Relief Act
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill significantly expands the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income households afford heating and cooling costs. It increases funding to $2 billion annually (plus emergency funds), raises income eligibility to 250% of poverty level, and caps household energy burden at 3% of income. The bill also creates new programs for weatherization and a "just transition" away from fossil fuels.
Who Benefits and How
Low-income households benefit from expanded eligibility, increased assistance amounts, and protections against utility shutoffs and late fees for 2 years after receiving aid. Renewable energy companies benefit from priorities for electrification and community solar programs. Weatherization contractors and minority/women-owned businesses benefit from increased funding (25% of LIHEAP funds) for energy-efficient home repairs.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Home energy suppliers face new compliance requirements: they cannot charge late fees within 6 months of receiving LIHEAP payments, cannot shut off service for 2 years after assistance, must share data on delinquent accounts, and must offer low-income affordability programs. They are also prohibited from recovering arrearage costs through rate increases. Fossil fuel heating/appliance manufacturers face reduced demand as the bill prioritizes electrification.
Key Provisions
- Authorizes $2 billion/year for LIHEAP plus $1 billion/year for just transition grants
- Raises income eligibility to 250% of poverty level or 80% of state median income
- Prohibits utility shutoffs for 2 years after receiving assistance
- Increases weatherization funding from 15% to 25% of LIHEAP funds, prioritizing fossil fuel replacement
- Creates new "just transition" grant program for decarbonization
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Expands and reforms the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to address rising energy costs for low-income households, enhance cooling assistance, increase weatherization funding, and promote a just transition away from fossil fuels.
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Social Welfare, Climate, Housing
Primary Purpose
Expands and reforms the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to address rising energy costs for low-income households, enhance cooling assistance, increase weatherization funding, and promote a just transition away from fossil fuels.
Policy Domains
Funding Authorization
Identified Gains
- Low-income households
- State energy assistance programs
Identified Costs
- Federal budget/taxpayers
Conditions for Funding
Identified Gains
- Low-income energy consumers
- Renewable energy installers
Identified Costs
- Home energy suppliers
- Utilities
Weatherization
Identified Gains
- Low-income homeowners
- Weatherization contractors
- Renewable energy companies
Identified Costs
- Fossil fuel heating equipment manufacturers
- Natural gas utilities
Just Transition Grants
Identified Gains
- Low-income households
- Unions and workforce development programs
- Minority and women-owned businesses
Identified Costs
- Fossil fuel industry
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. …
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, …
Introduced in Senate
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Households between 150-250% of poverty level, Immigrant households, Low-income homeowners
State LIHEAP administrators, State agencies administering LIHEAP, State and local governments
Positive-direction: State and local governments, State energy assistance programs
Negative-direction: State LIHEAP administrators, State agencies administering LIHEAP
Home energy suppliers, Home energy suppliers and utilities, Home energy suppliers receiving LIHEAP payments
Home energy suppliers faces effects in multiple directions
Positive-direction: Home energy suppliers receiving LIHEAP payments
Negative-direction: Home energy suppliers and utilities
Renewable energy and electrification contractors, Weatherization contractors
Electric heat pump and HVAC manufacturers, Fossil fuel furnace and boiler manufacturers
Positive-direction: Electric heat pump and HVAC manufacturers
Negative-direction: Fossil fuel furnace and boiler manufacturers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Health and Human Services
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Health and Human Services
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Health and Human Services
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Health and Human Services
- "secretary_of_energy"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Health and Human Services
- "secretary_of_energy"
- → Secretary of Energy
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A period in which there is an increased risk of heat-related or cold-related illness, hospitalization, or death; or failures or energy shutoffs of home cooling or heating.
An employee who administers a program funded under section 2602(b) and whose salary is paid with funds made available under that section.
Any local organization or local office that receives funds under section 2602(b) to perform customer intake, or approval of benefits, on behalf of the State agency.
A major disaster or emergency declared under the Stafford Act; a public health emergency determined under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act; or a period of extreme heat or extreme cold.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology