Rep. Sanders Leads Bipartisan Coalition Calling for Increase in LIHEAP Due To Escalating Home Heating Oil Prices
Rep. Sanders Leads Bipartisan Coalition Calling for Increase in LIHEAP Due To Escalating Home Heating Oil Prices
9/9/2005
Washington D.C.-Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announced today that he is leading a bipartisan coalition calling for a significant increase in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Sanders' letter to Subcommittee Chairmen Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Ralph Regula and Ranking Members Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. David Obey is being cosigned by dozens of Sanders' Republican and Democratic House colleagues. The letter requests that LIHEAP funding be increased to $4 billion for Fiscal Year 2006, nearly $2 billion more than currently expected, in order to accommodate the unprecedented and unexpected surge in home energy prices that have been exacerbated by the devastating tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
Sanders said, "While we must fully address the exceptional circumstances of those directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, we must also address the impacts this disaster will have on heating and air conditioning prices across the country this winter and next summer. Low-income families across the nation, including many, many seniors, are already struggling to pay their heating and air conditioning bills at current prices. With expected increases in home heating oil prices, households in Vermont and across the nation face the very real prospect of going cold this winter."
Since the winter heating season of 2001-02, the price of heating oil increased from $637 to $1261, natural gas from $602 to $954 and propane from $888 to $1377 - and that was before the increase in prices expected from Hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile, the average LIHEAP recipient in 2005 receives a mere $318 in assistance, and only 15% of the 32 million Americans eligible to receive LIHEAP funding actually receive it.
According to a report released on September 7 by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Association, prices for winter fuel oil, propane and natural gas will be 218% higher this year than in 2001, when LIHEAP was funded at $2.25 billion.
Sanders said, "This increase in funding is absolutely necessary to ensure that of senior citizens on fixed incomes, working families with children, and persons with disabilities from one end of the country to the next are not forced to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table. In the richest country in the world, no one should ever have to make that unacceptable choice."
An estimated 5.2 million households are served by the LIHEAP program-most of which have incomes of less than $8,000 per year. Since coming to Congress, Sanders has been one of the leading advocates for LIHEAP, which serves some 18,000 Vermont households.
http://bernie.house.gov/documents/releases/20050909162730.asp