Vermont’s congressional delegation plans to gather today in Burlington to protest an expected White House plan to cut federal heating assistance for low-income households in half.
Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch say they’ve worked in recent years to double funding under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which has stood at around $5 billion a year since 2008. They say the program provides crucial heating aid to more than 20,000 Vermont households.
They also note that home heating oil prices have risen by about 70 cents per gallon over last year, to about $3.50 per gallon now.
The cut is expected to be announced when the president releases his budget today.