The Obama administration Monday proposed 41% less in funding for the energy assistance program for fiscal year (FY) 2013 than was sought by a major utility group.

The president’s budget included $3 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), far less than the $5.1 billion that the American Gas Association (AGA) had sought.

“Throughout the country, millions of American households depend on LIHEAP funding to stay warm…$3 billion for LIHEAP will leave some of our citizens out in the cold,” said AGA CEO Dave McCurdy.

Congress funded the program at $5.1 billion in FY 2009 and FY 2010, but the funding for LIHEAP has been “cut drastically” since then: to $4.7 billion in FY 2011 and to less than $3.5 billion in FY 2012, the utility group said (see Daily GPI, Oct. 13, 2011).

On Wednesday (Feb. 15), citizens from across the country are expected to descend on the nation’s capital to build awareness about LIHEAP and urge Congress to fully fund the program, according to the AGA.

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