OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Honoring 21Years Of Heat's On

Date: Sept. 29, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Senior Citizens Unemployed and Low-Income Housing and Property


HONORING 21 YEARS OF HEAT'S ON -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 29, 2006)

SPEECH OF HON. BETTY McCOLLUM OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2006

* Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor ``Heat's On,'' a partnership between Union Pipefitters and the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association that has been helping those in need for 21 years.

* Winters are cold in Minnesota, and home heating is a basic necessity. Over the past two decades, St. Paul Pipefitters Local 455, Minneapolis Pipefitters Local 539 and local contractors come together each fall to volunteer their skills and time to inspect and fix furnaces, flues and smoke alarms for low-income senior citizens and disabled homeowners. Thankfully, most of these visits turn up no serious problems. However, when inspections do not go smoothly, these professionals are able to provide the help needed.

* Volunteers sometimes uncover major problems. On average, 10 homes out of the 400 homes inspected each year have furnaces that must be replaced, and many of these homeowners cannot afford the expense. This year, pipefitters and contractors have come together yet again to establish a fund to help these homeowners with the cost of furnace replacement.

* Thanks to the outstanding Heat's On partnership, thousands of senior citizens and disabled Minnesotans have been able to remain safe in their homes. Just as important, they have a sense of relief knowing that their homes will be warm and comfortable as cold weather approaches.

* I am proud to live in a community that cares--where union workers come together with small businesses for the good of our neighbors. This is a partnership that makes sense, which is why it has served as a model for other communities.

* Mr. Speaker, please join me in commending all of the volunteers from St. Paul Pipefitters Local 455, Minneapolis Pipefitters Local 539 and the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association for 21 years of Heat's On.

http://thomas.loc.gov/

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