{"id":2045183,"date":"2023-09-26T13:43:01","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T17:43:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pandemic-water-assistance-program-not-expected-to-be-renewed-in-congressional-budget-negotiations\/"},"modified":"2023-09-26T13:46:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T17:46:13","slug":"pandemic-water-assistance-program-not-expected-to-be-renewed-in-congressional-budget-negotiations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pandemic-water-assistance-program-not-expected-to-be-renewed-in-congressional-budget-negotiations\/","title":{"rendered":"Pandemic Water Aid Program Unlikely to Be Extended in Budget Talks"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpandemic-water-assistance-program-not-expected-to-be-renewed-in-congressional-budget-negotiations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2045183&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>A water assistance initiative that began in December 2020 is set to expire\u2063 on Sept. \u200b30.<\/p>\n<p>Congress appropriated \u200c$638 million in funding for \u2062the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, or LIHWAP, under \u2064the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, \u2062the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 appropriated $500 million in funds \u2064to the program.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/liberal-government-seeking-delay-to-expanding-medically-assisted-dying-program-4927175?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Liberal Government Seeking Delay to Expanding\u2064 Medically Assisted Dying Program<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">12\/15\/2022<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/liberal-government-seeking-delay-to-expanding-medically-assisted-dying-program-4927175?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/government-assistance-programs-and-policies-contributing-to-employment-decline-among-able-bodied-americans-study-4075743?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Government Assistance Programs \u200cand Policies Contributing to Employment Decline Among Able-Bodied Americans: Study<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/29\/2021<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/government-assistance-programs-and-policies-contributing-to-employment-decline-among-able-bodied-americans-study-4075743?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The program is managed by the\u2062 U.S. Department\u2062 of Health and\u2062 Human \u2064Services \u2064(HHS) to help with water and wastewater billing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/citing-china-threat-business-groups-experts-push-biden-administration-for-digital-policy\/\" title=\"Citing China Threat, Business Groups, Experts Push Biden Administration for Digital Policy\">low-income households<\/a> struggling to\u200b pay their bills \u200dbecause \u2063of \u2063the economic hardships of the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Thus far, LIHWAP has doled out approximately $1.1 billion to states that then distribute the funds to\u2064 water utility departments.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Those departments \u200buse those\u2062 funds to help people who make 150 percent of the federal poverty \u200cline, or \u200c$37,290 for a family of three, according \u2062to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.route-fifty.com\/finance\/2023\/09\/federal-assistance-program-helped-pay-water-bills-set-expire\/390443\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Route Fifty<\/a>.<\/div>\n<p>By Sept. 30, 2022,\u2063 the program had restored 30,000 households that had their water disconnected and maintained service for \u200d228,000 \u200chomes.<\/p>\n<p>The report pointed to \u2062concerns over the end of\u2063 the program, \u2063considering the 4.6 percent\u2064 increase in the poverty rate from \u200c7.8 \u2062percent in 2021 to 12.4 percent in 2022.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\u201cThis increase can \u200dbe attributed to key changes in federal tax policy, including \u200dthe \u2064expiration of temporary expansions to the \u2063Child Tax Credit \u2064(CTC) and the\u200b Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as \u200bwell as the end \u2062of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-america-child-poverty-rate-has-more-than-doubled-in-a-year-us-census-bureau-reports\/\" title=\"Child poverty rate in Biden's America has doubled in just one year, says US Census Bureau.\">pandemic-era stimulus payments<\/a>,\u201d the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2023\/income-poverty-health-insurance-coverage.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Census Bureau stated<\/a>. \u201cThis is the first increase in the overall\u200b SPM poverty\u200d rate since 2010.\u201d<\/div>\n<p>Nathan Gardner-Andrews, the chief advocacy officer for the National \u2064Association of Clean Water Agencies,\u200b told Route Fifty \u2062that for households dependent on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ca-legislature-unanimously-passes-nations-first-state-funded-guaranteed-income-plan-newsom-advisor-says-the-next-stop-is-the-fed-govt\/\" title=\"CA Legislature Unanimously Passes Nation\u2019s First State-Funded Guaranteed Income Plan, Newsom Advisor Says: \u2018The Next Stop Is The Fed Govt\u2019\">government assistance programs<\/a>, it could be a blow \u2064to the budget.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Mr. Gardner-Andrews said he doesn\u2019t expect Congress to renew the program as\u200c it approaches its deadline to come up\u2062 with a spending agreement\u200c by\u200b the end of the month. <\/p>\n<h2>Looming Shutdown<\/h2>\n<p> If the \u2062U.S. government\u2063 can\u2019t agree on spending, it could shut down \u200dwithout a budget in place.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Despite the potential termination of\u200c government assistance programs\u2064 for its own citizens, the Department of Defense has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/pentagon-says-ukraine-support-will-continue-as-part-of-essential-operations-during-government-shutdown-5496806\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stated<\/a> that Operation Atlantic Resolve, the operation to train and supply the Ukrainian military, \u200dwill continue.<\/div>\n<p>Speaker of \u2063the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) spoke to reporters on the looming shutdown, stating that people who have been holding off on \u200dagreeing \u200cwill find common ground and move forward in the final hours\u200c before the deadline on \u2062Sept. 30.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msnbc.com\/symone\/watch\/-this-is-chaos-senator-warnock-on-the-government-shutdown-showdown-193628229957\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told MSNBC<\/a> that the disagreements have produced \u201cchaos.\u201d<\/div>\n<p>\u201cOrdinary people scratch their\u200b heads watching what\u2019s unfolding in D.C.,\u201d Mr. Warnock said. \u201cThey are trying to figure out how to take care of their families, how to advance their prosperity and their wellbeing, \u2062and I think this chaos that we\u2019re witnessing right now\u2014it\u2019s just one example of what happens when politicians center the politics rather than the people.\u200b These people have clearly decided that their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pandemic-water-assistance-program-not-expected-to-be-renewed-in-congressional-budget-negotiations\/\" title=\"Pandemic Water Aid Program Unlikely to Be Extended in Budget Talks\">short-term political\u2063 gains<\/a> are best served by a\u2064 government shutdown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To prevent the country from defaulting on its debt, Mr. McCarthy and President Joe Biden entered \u2062a deal\u200d to \u2063continue 2022 \u200bspending \u200clevels,\u200c which, according to\u200d the report, means discontinuing LIHWAP.<\/p>\n<p>As House Republicans push \u200dto reduce federal spending,\u200d Senate Democrats propose extra funding.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Though the water assistance funding will end, HHS has \u2064said\u2062 that states will be\u2062 able to rely on remaining funding. <\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Struggling to Pay Their\u200d Bills&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p> Susan Saffery, the director of government relations and legislative affairs for Seattle Public Utilities, told\u200d Route Fifty that the cessation will\u200d create problems.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIf you are making 150% of the federal poverty level and you\u2019re living \u200bin the Seattle area with our cost of living, then having somebody help pay\u2062 down your water utility bill is a huge deal,\u201d Ms. Saffery said. \u201cWe won\u2019t have the money to fill that gap. \u200cSo despite our really good utility discount\u2063 program and our emergency assistance, \u200dwe will still have people struggling to pay their bills.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mae Stevens, chief executive officer for the American Business Water Coalition, told Route \u200dFifty that keeping the\u2064 water \u2063assistance active would benefit the economy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf people are\u200b having trouble paying their \u2062water bills,\u2062 then they\u2019re not \u200dspending money on groceries,\u201d Ms. Stevens \u2063said. \u201cThey\u2019re not able to\u200d spend \u200cmoney on other things in the local community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jay Bernas, \u200cthe general manager for Hampton\u200b Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), praised the program\u2019s \u2063assistance during a time when rates were continually going up.<\/p>\n<p>HRSD provides wastewater services\u200b to 1.9 million\u200b residents in the Virginia Hampton Roads region.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Bernas \u200dtold Route \u2064Fifty that HRSD \u200cwill\u200d continue to allow customers to\u200b go on payment plans to prevent disconnection; however,\u200c Virginia law restricts it from \u2064lowering rates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo be able to\u200d say, \u2018Hey,\u2063 there&#8217;s this program out there that you might qualify\u2064 for that can help\u2062 you with your bill,\u2019 it was \u2062such\u2064 a feel-good thing,\u201d he said. \u201cWe were able to have a solution for them, instead of saying: \u2018There&#8217;s nothing we can do. If you don&#8217;t pay your bill, we&#8217;re going to shut\u2064 off your water.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> A water assistance\u2062 program\u200d aimed at providing aid to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/food-stamps-final-direct-payment-worth-up-to-1691-to-wrap-up-in-delaware-in-five-days\/\" title=\"Delaware's food stamps program concludes with a final payment of up to ,691 in just five days.\">low-income\u2062 households<\/a> \u200dis \u200dset to \u200dexpire\u200d on September \u206330, 2022. The\u200c Low Income Household Water Assistance Program\u200c (LIHWAP), which received a combined funding of $1.1 billion\u2062 from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act \u2064of 2021, has benefited numerous \u2064households struggling<\/p>\n<h2>To afford their water bills. \u2064However, \u2064with the \u2064program&#8217;s expiration approaching, important questions arise about its future \u2063and its impact \u200con low-income households. Here are three PAA\u200c related questions on this topic:<\/h2>\n<p><span>  1. What is the likelihood of the PAA being extended \u2062or\u2062 renewed as its expiration \u200bdate\u2063 approaches?<\/p>\n<p>2. \u2064What has been the impact of\u200d the PAA on low-income households&#8217; ability to afford water bills?<\/p>\n<p>3. Are there any alternative\u2062 programs or solutions being considered to address the water affordability issue for low-income households \u200dif \u2062the PAA is not extended or renewed?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A water assistance initiative, starting in Dec. 2020, will end on Sept. 30. Congress allocated $638 million for the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 also provided $500 million for this cause.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":230,"featured_media":2045184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2045183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2045183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/230"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2045183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2045183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2045184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2045183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2045183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2045183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}