Statement from State Rep. Ellen Cogen Lipton on passage of Senate Bill 864 allowing funds for energy assistance this winter:

“This is a good bill that will immediately help families struggling with utility bills get the help they need to make it through the winter. But our work is not done, and we need to keep working on a way to restore the integrity of the LIEEF program that was created back in 2000 and worked so well for the past 11 years. The LIEEF program helped people get a handle on their utility bills through weatherization projects to make their homes more energy efficient. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a permanent solution that will restore the LIEEF program so that we not only offer help with bills, but we also fund weatherization programs that will make a real difference by improving homes so that families can afford to heat their homes without asking for assistance.”