WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley, along with 47 of his colleagues, today asked for additional funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, in any continuing resolution that is considered in the Senate. The senators sent the letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
"As we begin thinking about a possible harsh Iowa winter and cold temperatures, it's critical that we take steps to make sure that our low-income and elderly residents are taken care of," Grassley said. "With energy costs on the rise, it's even more important to have additional resources available to help Iowans."
Here is a copy of the text of the letter.
September 12, 2008
The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
Chairman
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Thad Cochran
Ranking Member
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Byrd and Ranking Member Cochran:
Thank you for your efforts to provide increased funding for the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) this year, including in the recently announced chairman's
mark for a second stimulus supplemental appropriations bill. We also appreciate the inclusion of
$250 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program in the chairman's mark.
With the explosion in home energy costs, it is critical that every step is taken to provide
emergency funding as quickly as possible to help citizens across the nation cope with the
summer's sweltering heat and prepare for the cold winter ahead. Therefore, in addition to
pursuing funds through the second stimulus supplemental, we urge you to include at least $2.5
billion for LIHEAP in any Continuing Resolution that may be considered.
The need for additional LIHEAP money is without question. In both warm weather
states and cold weather states, extra LIHEAP funding will help avert deadly crises. Record-high
temperatures have resulted in several deaths in California, Texas and Oklahoma. In Dallas,
temperatures exceeded 100 degrees for nearly two weeks straight.
In cold weather states, energy officials are concerned that high heating prices will create
a humanitarian crisis as millions of families go cold because they can't afford to pay their utility
bill. With heating oil prices projected to exceed $4.60 per-gallon, the cost to heat a home could
be as much as $4,000 this winter. To deal with high prices, many families resort to unsafe
heating methods, forgo lifesaving prescription medicine, or skip meals.
In both warm weather states and cold weather states, utility shutoffs have increased due
to the struggling economy and record-high energy costs. In Arizona, the amount of households
behind on their bills is up 36 percent from last year, and the number of disconnections in Phoenix
alone has increased by 11,000 families from last year. In Pennsylvania, more than 650,000
households are in arrears, up from less than 500,000 last year. The National Energy Assistance
Directors Association (NEADA) estimates that more than 15.6 million households could face
utility shutoffs because they cannot pay their energy bill.
One answer to this problem is increased funding for LIHEAP. At the current funding level, LIHEAP serves only 15 percent of eligible families. With costs expected to be much higher in the coming year, far fewer families will be served if additional funds are not provided.
An extra $2.5 billion will nearly double the Fiscal Year 2008 appropriation for LIHEAP and
extend this vital lifeline to more low-income families and seniors.
Another action that Congress should take is increasing funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program. This money can be spent in advance of the coming winter and make energy
bills lower not only this year, but for years to come. According to the National Association for
State Community Services Programs, first year energy savings for households weatherized in
2008 will be more than $413. Less burdened by record-high energy bills, these families will
have more money to spend on other essentials. Furthermore, the efficiencies produced by
weatherizing a home pay for themselves quickly by creating jobs, reducing overall energy
consumption, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. We appreciate the recognition you have
shown for these contributions by the addition of emergency funds in the second stimulus
supplemental appropriations bill.
Thanks to your leadership, the Senate has shown bipartisan support for LIHEAP and
Weatherization. and we thank you both for your commitment to helping low-income families.
We urge you to continue to do everything possible to ensure that emergency funds are provided
for LIHEAP and Weatherization.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
