NEW ENGLAND DELEGATION ASKS PELOSI TO TRIPLE FUNDING FOR HOME HEATING AID
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE; jULY 16, 2008
CONTACT: Emily Barocas/ 202-225-7295
NEW ENGLANDDELEGATION ASKS PELOSI TO TRIPLE FUNDING FOR HOME HEATING AID
Washington, DC -- It may be warm outside, but membersof the New England Congressional Delegation are already thinking about the deadof winter. Twenty members sent a letterto Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi today, urging her to increase to $9billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in a secondeconomic recovery package. To ease theburden of rising heating costs and expand eligibility for the program, thedelegation believes it will be necessary to more than triple current funding. They are also requesting $1 billion forWeatherization Assistance.
With the price of home heating oil over $4.00 a barrel, manyhouseholds in New England will be payingupwards of $4,000 to heat their homes this winter. These high prices willseverely stretch the budgets of even middle class families.
“Last winter, I heard stories of elderly women turning overtheir entire social security checks to pay for their home heating oil. Withconditions expected to get worse this winter, I can hardly imagine the impacton our communities,” said Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Vice Chair ofthe Democratic Caucus.
More than 6 million New Englandhouseholds rely on oil to heat their homes. And, the volatility in the oil market does not bode well for them.
Congressman John Olver (MA-01)said, “Between high gas prices and the near doubling in the price of homeheating oil, this winter is shaping up to be a perfect storm for residents of Massachusetts. This historical investment in LIHEAP and the Weatherization Assistance Programis warranted, if not a moral obligation, to avoid a societal disaster.”
“Keeping your home heated in New Hampshire is not a matter of convenienceor comfort but a matter of survival. Congress must take action now to prevent aregional crisis this winter where thousands will be faced with a horriblechoice of feeding their children or keeping them warm and healthy,” CongressmanPaul Hodes (NH-02) said.
President Bush needs to startstanding up for the American people," said Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter(NH-01). "Thousands of families across New England will be unable to heat their homes thiswinter because of cuts the Bush administration has made to LIHEAP. I urge Speaker Pelosi to provide thisemergency funding so families do not have to choose between putting food on thetable and staying warm.”
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