HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Approximately $3.6 billion in delayed funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, was released Friday to states and tribes, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. The federal funding for LIHEAP, which helps millions of low-income households pay to heat and cool their homes, had been held up due to the federal government shutdown, which ended on November 12. This release of LIHEAP funding is essential and long overdue, Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, said in a statement. Families can finally begin receiving the support they need to keep the heat on as winter begins. States traditionally receive their allocations at the start of November. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the assistance program, has not yet issued a formal public announcement on the resumed funding. After the federal shutdown, HHS indicated they would work quickly to administer annual awards, attributing the delay to congressional Democrats. Wolfe further noted that state agencies have received award letters from HHS, enabling them to begin distributing the necessary assistance. On Monday, a bipartisan group of U.S. House members urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to expedite the release of LIHEAP funds by November 30, particularly given the ongoing heating season. This call to action emphasized the urgency for households relying on heating oil or propane, fuels that are not protected by state utility shutoff moratoriums in winter months. Approximately 68% of LIHEAP households also rely on SNAP food benefits, and delays in both programs have exacerbated their struggles. While the recent funding release is a vital step forward, Wolfe remarked that the need for assistance remains substantial, especially in light of rising energy prices and ongoing arrearages that are nearing record highs.