Trump was already cutting low-income energy assistance – the shutdown is making things worse as cold weather arrives

By: Conor Harrison, University of South Carolina; Elena Louder, University of South Carolina; Nikki Luke, University of Tennessee, and Shelley Welton, University of Pennsylvania, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 8, 2025

Words: 1,150

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 2 days ago

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As fall turns to winter and temperatures begin to drop, millions of people across the U.S. will struggle to pay their rising energy bills. The government shutdown is making matters even worse: Several states have pushed back the start of their winter energy assistance because their federally allocated funds have yet to show up.

A 2023 national survey found that nearly 1 in 4 Americans were unable to pay their full …

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