WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that the Bush Administration will release $1 billion in emergency Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) funding for fiscal year 2006.LIHEAP is a federal block grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. In addition to helping to pay energy bills for low-income families and the elderly, LIHEAP helps to fund energy crisis intervention programs, low-cost residential weatherization and other energy-related home repairs.Earlier this month, Congress passed legislation that provided the additional $1 billion for the program. Rhode Island has already received a total of $14.3 million in federal funding for the LIHEAP program for FY 2006. With the release of the additional $1 billion, the state will receive an additional $7.6 million in assistancethe most that it has ever received.Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) stated, I am pleased that the President has decided to release the entire $1 billion in funding for LIHEAP that Congress approved this month. This assistance is long overdue for families and seniors who have been struggling to pay their heating bills this winter while facing record high energy prices. "While I support funding the program at its fully authorized level of $5.1 billion, this is a step in the right direction. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the LIHEAP program is fully funded next year so that seniors and families are not again forced to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table.Reed has consistently asked Congress and the President to provide $5.1 billion in funding for LIHEAP and has forced the Senate to vote 6 times in as many months to do so. Earlier this month, the United States Senate agreed to an amendment offered by Reed that would provide an additional $3.3 billion for a federal heating assistance program to help the elderly, low-income families and disabled individuals pay their heating bills.Reeds amendment to the fiscal year 2007 budget would provide an additional $3.3 billion in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), increasing funding for the program to $5.1 billion, its fully authorized level.