Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006-- Continued
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006--Continued -- (Senate - October 05, 2005)
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Mr. REED. Mr. President, rising energy prices could financially wipe out working-class families and seniors this winter. We are about to see an extraordinary runup in prices that imperil the ability of many families simply to keep their homes warm during this coming winter.
In New England, the average cost for a family using heating oil is projected to hit $1,666 during the upcoming winter. This represents an increase of $403 over last winter's prices and $714 over the winter heating season of 2003-2004. That is an extraordinary increase in the cost families have to spend to heat their homes.
For a family using natural gas in the Midwest, prices are projected to hit $1,568, representing an increase of $611 over last year's prices and $643 over the price of the 2003-2004 heating season.
The Mortgage Bankers Association, looking at this data, expects steep energy costs could increase the number of missed payments and lost homes this year. So we have observers who are fearful that this huge energy shock could cause families to, indeed, lose their homes.
In America, no family should be forced to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table for their children. No senior citizen should have to decide to either buy lifesaving pharmaceuticals or pay their electric bill. But, unfortunately, low-income working Americans are facing these decisions this winter.
In some respects, this is a tidal wave, not of rising water but of rising energy prices which is a consequence of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
For this reason, Senator Kennedy, Senator Kerry, and I offered an amendment to the Defense Department appropriations bill to provide $3.1 billion in emergency funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP. This funding will provide our Nation's most vulnerable--low-income families, seniors, and disabled individuals--with affordable energy this winter. Again, we saw and were shocked as a nation to see rising waters imperil the most vulnerable in our society on the gulf coast. Well, these rising energy prices will do the same thing by threatening the most vulnerable people through the Northeast, through the Midwest, through every area of the country that anticipates cold weather this winter.
I urge my colleagues to join us to secure $3.1 billion in additional LIHEAP funding.
In September, I, along with over 20 of my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, sent a letter to the President urging that he include additional funding for LIHEAP in a supplemental appropriations bill for Hurricane Katrina. We sensed, as he sensed, that one of the consequences of Katrina was a severe shock to our energy sector with complementary increases in prices. So I believe it is appropriate to deal with this issue now. We are waiting not only for the supplemental for Katrina, but also dealing with it on this particular appropriations bill.
On Monday, I was dismayed to learn that President Bush currently does not have plans to request additional LIHEAP funds this year. States are bracing for a crisis caused by a lack of affordable energy, and this funding will ensure low-income families and seniors will have safe, warm homes this winter.
President Bush, I strongly urge that you reconsider. The warning has been issued. Will you once again ignore a looming crisis facing America?
In addition to LIHEAP funding, there are other steps that Congress and the administration need to take to address our Nation's high energy costs. First, we need to pass Senator Cantwell's Energy Emergency Consumer Protection Act to ban price gouging at the gas pump in the wake of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.
Second, we need to pass Senator Dorgan's Windfall Profits Rebate Act which imposes a temporary windfall profits tax on big oil companies and uses the revenues to provide a rebate to American consumers to help offset the higher cost of oil and gasoline products.
Total energy spending for the Nation this year will approach $1 trillion, 24 percent higher than in 2004. Energy will claim the biggest share of U.S. output since the end of the oil crisis 20 years ago. Oil and natural gas companies are making record profits, while energy prices are overcoming and overtaking workers' salary increases. This is wrong.
We also must fix those bankrupt energy policies that provide oil and gas companies with billions of dollars from the Federal Treasury for production. These tax breaks should be repealed to pay for LIHEAP and conservation programs that help American energy consumers, not big business.
The Federal Government must lead by example also. The President called on Americans to reduce their energy consumption and conserve oil. I know American families are up to this challenge and will respond. But Americans have the right to expect that their President and their Government will also make sacrifices.
The President should implement a Federal savings target to demonstrate a serious commitment to improving our Nation's energy security. He should set a 40-percent savings target for Federal agencies by 2020. Over the past few years, the Federal Government has reduced its petroleum consumption by less than 1 percent. We can and we must do better.
As a nation, we must step back and evaluate our priorities. Now is not the time to cut funding for social programs such as LIHEAP, Medicaid, and food stamps that support working families and seniors while the President and Members of the Senate continue to push for irresponsible tax breaks. We must prioritize, and the most vulnerable among us
must be considered first.
Millions of Americans are struggling each day to make ends meet. They deserve our support. I hope the President and this Congress will heed this warning and help build an energy safety net for all Americans.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
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