DeLauro, House Democrats Unveil Energy Plan to Help Americans Pay Skyrocketing Bills
Thursday, December 08, 2005
DeLauro, House Democrats Unveil Energy Plan to Help Americans Pay Skyrocketing Bills
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) today joined House Democrats to unveil a new plan to help American families pay their skyrocketing energy bills. Various consumer-rights organizations and state and local agencies, including Mark Wolfe of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, joined the lawmakers to endorse the plan.
"Americans have shown they are ready for new thinking when it comes to solving the energy crisis facing our country right now," said DeLauro. "Americans expect their leaders to take action on their behalf - not on behalf of the oil companies, who are doing quite well in the midst of this crisis."
The President's energy bill enacted into law earlier this year was an $85 billion giveaway to big oil and gas companies. And legislation passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives in October would have provided billions more in tax breaks to the oil refining industry, rolling back environmental laws unrelated to the nation's energy problems, but doing nothing to lower energy costs.
The plan unveiled by House Democrats today repeals these unnecessary tax breaks for oil companies and channels the funds where they belong - toward helping the families, small businesses and farmers who need it most. Savings would be in the range of $8 to $9 billion over ten years. DeLauro said the changes would help middle-class families like Will and Patsy Eighmy of Milford. While discussing their utility bills with the family in October, DeLauro said the family literally cannot believe that as they struggle to feed their two young children and pay their mortgage, companies like Exxon Mobil are announcing record profits - $110 million per day.
The Energy Consumer Relief Act of 2005:
# Strikes five tax relief provisions from the Energy Policy bill, repealing tax subsidies to the oil and gas industry.
# Directs savings to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and to assist small businesses and farmers.
"While the Administration remains wholly unresponsive to the home heating crisis, Democrats believe this is a moment for leadership - for a new direction," said DeLauro. "America can do better. This initiative will help our nation do just that."
Natural gas prices are increasing by as much as 48 percent. Costs for heating oil in the Northeast are going up a third. Already, home energy costs have more than doubled since 2001.
http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2005/December/energy_plan_12_08_05.html