Residential Energy: Oversight of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Payments

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a block grant program with recent annual funding of about $2 billion that provides fuel payment assistance and payments for home energy efficiency improvements for low-income households. As energy prices continue to rise, this assistance is growing more important to mitigate the impact of higher prices on low-income households. HHS awards LIHEAP funds by formula to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, federally or state-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and territories. These grantees then provide energy assistance payments to low-income households. Within LIHEAP, the Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option (REACH) program funds demonstration projects to help low-income families reduce their energy usage. GAO was asked to provide information on (1) HHS's oversight of LIHEAP payments made by grantees and (2) GAO's 2001 review of LIHEAP's REACH program.