The government shutdown is delaying the release of critical funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a little-known program that provides heating and cooling payment assistance to households across the U.S.—meaning that millions might be unable to heat their homes as winter arrives.

The federal budget includes billions in funding for low-income Americans that might otherwise struggle to pay their energy bills. But as the stalemate drags on, experts say that the local offices that administer the program might be unable to help households pay their bills on time as temperatures drop in the coming weeks.

In Pennsylvania, the state’s Department of Human Services announced that they will be delaying the opening of the LIHEAP program, which typically begins on Nov. 3

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