Summary#
The Heating and Cooling Relief Act would change and expand the Home Energy Assistance Program. It increases funding authority, adds new grant programs, and updates rules about who can get help. The bill adds specific rules to help households during extreme heat or cold, to reduce energy bills through weatherization and clean electrification, and to collect data on unpaid energy bills (arrearages).
What it means for you#
- More households could be eligible. The bill raises the income test to the greater of 250% of the federal poverty level or 80% of the State median income. States may not deny help because of a household member's citizenship.
- States must simplify enrollment. The bill encourages data sharing with other benefit programs, allows self-attestation when needed, and calls for simplified re-enrollment for people already in other programs.
- More cooling help and disaster response. The bill directs funds for assistance in declared disasters and for periods of extreme heat or cold. It requires States to make plans for extreme heat.
- Protections from fees and shutoffs. Home energy suppliers receiving program funds must not charge late fees in a window around assistance payments, must refund improper fees quickly, and must not shut off service for 2 years after a household gets assistance, under the bill's rules.
- More weatherization and clean upgrades. The bill raises the share of funds set aside for weatherization and directs States to prioritize energy-efficient cooling, heat pumps, and repairs that reduce fossil fuel use.
- New grants and data work. The bill creates "just transition" grants for decarbonization and requires a standard template and reporting for household arrears and disconnection data.
Expenses#
- The bill replaces a fixed amount in one section with "such sums as may be necessary" to enable States to assist all eligible households and support affordability measures.
- It sets $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 for a specified allotment (amending a prior $600,000,000 figure) and states $2,000,000,000 plus such additional sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.
- It authorizes $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, and $1,000,000,000 plus such additional sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter, to carry out a new 3-year "HEAP Just Transition Grants" program.
- For other specific funding or long-term cost estimates, No publicly available information.
Proponents' View#
Supporters in the bill's findings say low-income households pay a much larger share of their income for home energy. They contend that cooling assistance has been very limited and that climate change is increasing heat- and cold-related health risks and disasters. The bill's authors argue the program should expand to reduce energy burdens, protect households from shutoffs, increase cooling and weatherization help, simplify enrollment, and support a transition from fossil fuels.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.