Northeast States Cut Heating Aid To Poor

Thousands of poor people across the Northeast are bracing for a difficult winter with substantially less home heating aid coming from the federal government.

Several Northeast states have reduced heating aid benefits to families as Congress considers slicing more than $1 billion from last year's $4.7 billion Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Families are expected to be especially hard hit in New England, where the winters are long and cold and people rely heavily on costly oil heat.

Many poor and elderly people on fixed incomes often struggle with heating bills that can run into thousands of dollars. That can force them to cut back on other necessities such as food or medicine.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)