New bill would add $210 million more for PA
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a statement today after a minority of senators blocked action on a bill to double funding for home heating assistance.
“Republicans in the Senate today blocked our efforts to provide home heating assistance to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Pennsylvanians.
“We all see the problems caused by rising gas prices. This bill addresses a problem that is on the horizon so the vulnerable are not literally left in the cold this winter. The additional $210 million for Pennsylvania that this bill would provide is a potentially lifesaving benefit.”
LIHEAP is a federal block grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. According to the Campaign for Home Energy Assistance, 400,000 Pennsylvania households have received LIHEAP assistance in 2008 – less than half of the eligible households. Less than one fifth of low-income household’s energy costs are covered by LIHEAP according to the Utility Emergency Services Fund.
Specifically, the Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer Act would nearly double the funding for LIHEAP in Fiscal Year 2008 – taking LIHEAP from $2.57 billion to $5.1 billion – a total increase of $2.53 billion. Last year, Pennsylvania received $183.7 million through both the base and the contingency plan. This year, it would receive $394 million.
Since being elected to the Senate, Senator Casey has worked to secure additional LIHEAP funding for Pennsylvania. In December 2007, Senator Casey sent a letter to President Bush urging him to immediately release emergency funding and to fully-fund LIHEAP in his fiscal year 2009 budget.
Later that month, he joined 36 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush stating: “We request that your Administration release the $586 million in FY2008 LIHEAP contingency funds that were recently approved by Congress to help low-income seniors and families with their home energy expenses during a winter that has already seen a significant share of severe winter weather and cold conditions and promises only to get colder.”
The Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer Act is supported by AARP; the American Corn Growers Association; the American Gas Association; the Federation of Southern Cooperatives; the National Grange; the National Conference of State Legislatures; the National Community Action Foundation; the National Association of State Energy Officials; the Alliance for Rural America; the Northeast Public Power Association; the National Consumer Law Center, on behalf of its low-income clients; the Edison Electric Institute; the National Fuel Funds Network; the National Energy Assistance Directors Association; and the Petroleum Marketers Association of America.
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“Republicans in the Senate today blocked our efforts to provide home heating assistance to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Pennsylvanians.
“We all see the problems caused by rising gas prices. This bill addresses a problem that is on the horizon so the vulnerable are not literally left in the cold this winter. The additional $210 million for Pennsylvania that this bill would provide is a potentially lifesaving benefit.”
LIHEAP is a federal block grant program that provides states with annual funding to operate home energy assistance programs for low-income households. According to the Campaign for Home Energy Assistance, 400,000 Pennsylvania households have received LIHEAP assistance in 2008 – less than half of the eligible households. Less than one fifth of low-income household’s energy costs are covered by LIHEAP according to the Utility Emergency Services Fund.
Specifically, the Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer Act would nearly double the funding for LIHEAP in Fiscal Year 2008 – taking LIHEAP from $2.57 billion to $5.1 billion – a total increase of $2.53 billion. Last year, Pennsylvania received $183.7 million through both the base and the contingency plan. This year, it would receive $394 million.
Since being elected to the Senate, Senator Casey has worked to secure additional LIHEAP funding for Pennsylvania. In December 2007, Senator Casey sent a letter to President Bush urging him to immediately release emergency funding and to fully-fund LIHEAP in his fiscal year 2009 budget.
Later that month, he joined 36 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush stating: “We request that your Administration release the $586 million in FY2008 LIHEAP contingency funds that were recently approved by Congress to help low-income seniors and families with their home energy expenses during a winter that has already seen a significant share of severe winter weather and cold conditions and promises only to get colder.”
The Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer Act is supported by AARP; the American Corn Growers Association; the American Gas Association; the Federation of Southern Cooperatives; the National Grange; the National Conference of State Legislatures; the National Community Action Foundation; the National Association of State Energy Officials; the Alliance for Rural America; the Northeast Public Power Association; the National Consumer Law Center, on behalf of its low-income clients; the Edison Electric Institute; the National Fuel Funds Network; the National Energy Assistance Directors Association; and the Petroleum Marketers Association of America.
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