Opinion: LIHEAP is a lifeline. Don't let the administration cut it.

In 2026, more than 114,000 Missouri households stand to lose critical support to keep their homes heated and cooled. Congress has already passed deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP through the Reconciliation Bill. They are now turning their attention to the annual appropriations legislation, where a number of additional essential safety net programs are at risk.

Among many proposals for devastating cuts, the Trump administration has called for the total elimination of funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Energy insecurity is a growing public health crisis. Deaths from extreme heat now exceed those from all other natural disasters combined in the U.S. Just last month, a woman in St. Ann was found dead from heat-related illness in her apartment after Ameren discon