Senate to Debate Kerry LIHEAP Amendment This Week

[Mass]

Now, this is money which needs to be spent.

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=246897

10/04/2005
Senate to Debate Kerry LIHEAP Amendment This Week

Amendment will provide $3.1 billion in emergency funding to Help Families with Home Heating Costs

WASHINGTON - Today, Senator John Kerry (D - Mass.) filed an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill that will deliver $3.1 billion of emergency funding to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Bush Administration’s budget only requested $2 billion in LIHEAP funding. This amendment will allocate the necessarily $3.1 billion to bring LIHEAP funding to $5.1 billion, the level authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Senate will debate the Kerry Amendment later this week.

This year American families are facing record prices for gas, oil, and propane, and the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has made these prices increase. The Department of Energy projects major increases in heating bills this winter heating season. Families in the Midwest could face a 69-77% increase in the price of natural gas and 39-43% increase for propane, families in the South could expect a 17 - 18% increase for electricity costs and families in the Northeast could face a 29 - 33% increase in the price of heating oil. These costs pose a crisis to low-income households this winter, and ensuring full funding of LIHEAP is one important step to lessening the burden on these families.

“Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are a stark reminder of what happens when the federal government doesn't prepare for disasters. Before another cold New England winter, Washington needs to prepare for the soaring heating costs that will hurt low-income families. With home heating costs expected to go through the roof this winter, it is unthinkable that this Administration would fail to have the emergency funds available to help families who need it most,” Kerry said. “Low-income families and seniors shouldn’t have to struggle with astronomically high energy costs when there is a way we can help them make ends meet. I am happy to offer this amendment to fully fund the program that combats this problem for families across the country.”

The amendment will provide immediate funding to states to help low-income families and seniors ensure they can afford to heat their homes. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association predicts that heating costs for the average family are projected to hit $1,666 this winter, an increase of $403 dollars from last year. For families using natural gas, prices are projected to hit $1,568, an increase of $611 from last year.

The amendment is co-sponsored by Senators Kennedy, Reed, Dorgan, Jeffords, Mikulski, Lautenberg, Corzine, Kohl, Bayh, Durbin, Cantwell, Clinton, Schumer, Baucus, and Reid.

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[ohtransplant]

1. Great politics brought to you by Senator Kerry.

He's daring those thugs to go on the record against helping their constituents.

I hope they're shamed into voting for it - and choke on it.

[Mass]

2. Kerry is excellent when it comes to writing bills that help people.

[ohtransplant]

3. He di the same thing for small biz as I recall

and don't forget the extra $1 B for the VA.

I'm sure I'm missing something.

[TayTay]

4. Oh, that is good news!

I can't believe he doesn't have a single Repub co-sponsor yet. There are Repubs from 'cold states' that are going to go through an awful lot of pain this winter when people choose betwen buying gas, buying meds, paying the mortgage or rent and then having to pay substantially higher home heating bills

Thanks Senator. You absolutely rock!:yourock: :dem:

[karynnj]

5. It's hard to believe the Maine Senators aren't signing

then they complain the Democrats are playing partisan politics.