Top US health official acknowledges more federal money for utility help is needed for extreme heat

Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — The US government’s top health official is acknowledging that a federal program that helps low-income people with utility bills needs to focus more on cooling and not overwhelmingly on wintertime heating. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was visiting Phoenix amid triple-digit temperatures Wednesday. He spoke to reporters after meeting with state officials about ways to better protect people from the extreme heat. He said it is up to Congress to allocate more money for such measures. But he said his agency is committed to working with lawmakers and states to alleviate the effects of high temperatures.