INDIAN HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2007--Continued -- (Senate - January 22, 2008)
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Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, let me begin by saying this amendment is being cosponsored by Senators Snowe, Collins, Obama, Cantwell, Sununu, Menendez, Stabenow, Clinton, Leahy, and Kerry. This amendment, which would increase LIHEAP funding by $800 million, also has the support of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, the National Fuel Funds Network, the American Gas Association, the National Association of State Energy Officials, and many other groups.
This amendment is as simple and straightforward as it can be, and what it is about is that at a time when, as everybody knows, home heating prices are going through the roof, it is getting colder every day--it will be below zero in Vermont this week--this amendment would provide real relief to millions of senior citizens on fixed incomes, low-income families with children, and persons with disabilities.
Specifically, this amendment would provide $800 million emergency funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, otherwise known as LIHEAP. Four hundred million dollars of this funding would be distributed under the regular LIHEAP formula and the other $400 million would be used under the contingency LIHEAP program.
Last month, I introduced the Keeping Americans Warm Act to provide $1 billion in emergency LIHEAP funding. I am pleased that this bill has garnered 26 cosponsors--19 Democrats, 6 Republicans, and 1 Independent.
In addition, as you know, on December 3, 38 Senators cosigned a letter spearheaded by Senator JACK REED and SUSAN COLLINS to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Specter urging the appropriations committee to provide a total of $3.4 billion in LIHEAP funding.
As you know, there is a lot of discussion right now in seeing that there be a substantial increase in LIHEAP funding in the economic stimulus bill that is being talked about, which I certainly support.
I would also like to take this opportunity to commend Subcommittee Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Specter, Appropriations Chairman Byrd, and Ranking Member Cochran for providing a total of $2.6 billion in funding for LIHEAP in the Omnibus appropriations bill. I understand how difficult it was to reach a deal on this bill. I appreciate everything Senator Byrd and others have done for LIHEAP to make sure people in our country do not go cold.
Unfortunately, this $2.6 billion in funding for LIHEAP, while an 18-percent increase from last year, is still 23 percent below what was provided for LIHEAP just 2 years ago. And that 23-percent reduction is not even adjusted for inflation. I am talking about nominal dollars.
Two years ago, as I think every American fully understands, the price of heating oil was less than $2.50 a gallon. Today, it is over $3.36 a gallon. In central Vermont, we have seen prices as high as $3.73 a gallon for heating oil. This winter, consumers are projected to pay over $1,800 to heat their homes with heating oil--$1,800 just to stay warm this winter. This winter, it is projected that consumers will be paying over $1,600 to heat their homes with propane. Two years ago, they only paid $1,281.
The skyrocketing prices are already stretching the household budgets of millions of families with children, senior citizens on fixed incomes, and persons with disabilities beyond the breaking point. I cannot tell you--I am sure the situation is not radically different in Pennsylvania--how many people are telling me that when they see these heating bills, they cannot believe it. They just do not know how they are going to stay warm this winter.
Unfortunately, the spike in energy costs is completely eviscerating the purchasing power of this extremely important program in State after State. If Congress does not act soon to confront this problem head-on--and this is a problem which is existing now and will get worse in late January and in February--I fear for the public health and safety of many of our most vulnerable citizens.
The point is, we have to act. We have to act. I support any and all efforts to expand LIHEAP but, frankly, it will do less good if it is passed in March or in April than it will if it is passed in January and February. We need to get the money out to people now so they do not go cold.
According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, due to insufficient funding, the average LIHEAP grant only pays for 18 percent of the total cost of heating a home with heating oil this winter, 21 percent of residential propane costs, 41 percent of natural gas costs, and 43 percent of electricity costs this winter. What this means is that low-income families with kids, senior citizens on fixed incomes, and others will have to make up the remaining cost out of their own pockets. As you know, in this country we are looking at some very rocky economic times. More and more people are unemployed. Poverty is going up. Where are those people going to get these large sums of money to stay warm this winter?
In addition, only 15 percent of eligible LIHEAP recipients currently receive assistance with home heating bills. Eighty-five percent of eligible low-income families with children, senior citizens on fixed incomes, and persons with disabilities do not receive any LIHEAP assistance whatsoever due to a lack of funding. There are many people all over this country who are eligible for this program who are unable to get the help they need. In my own State of Vermont, it has been reported that outrageously high home heating costs, oil costs, are pushing families into homelessness. In fact, it is not uncommon for families with two working parents to receive help from homeless shelters in the State of Vermont because they cannot afford anyplace else to live during the winter.
This is a national energy emergency which is affecting States all over the country, certainly not just Vermont. On January 17, 1 day after the President released $450 million in emergency LIHEAP funding, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association testified in front of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chaired by Senator Kennedy. I very much appreciate his holding that hearing in Boston focusing national attention on this crisis. Here is what the national energy directors reported. This is what they say:
In Arkansas, the number of families receiving LIHEAP assistance is expected to be reduced by up to 20 percent from last year if they are not able to get more funding. Arkansas, 20 percent reduction.
In Arizona, estimates are that they will have to cut the number of families receiving LIHEAP assistance by 10,000 families as compared to last year.
In Delaware, the number of families receiving LIHEAP assistance will be reduced by up to 20 percent. In most instances, your average LIHEAP grant only pays for about 20 percent of the total cost of heating a home in Delaware.
During the winter in Iowa, the regular LIHEAP grant has been cut by 7 percent from last year. The average LIHEAP grant in Iowa is $300. Two years ago, the average grant was $450.
The State of Kentucky can run out of LIHEAP funding as early as next February.
In Maine, the average LIHEAP grant will only pay for about 2 to 3 weeks of home heating costs in most homes in that State, and I can tell you that it stays cold for a lot longer than 2 or 3 weeks in Maine, in New England.
In Massachusetts, the spike in energy costs means that the purchasing costs for LIHEAP has declined by 39 percent since 2006.
The State of Minnesota can run out of LIHEAP funding as early as February.
In New York, many households have already exhausted their entire LIHEAP funding.
While Ohio has seen a 10-percent increase in the number of people applying for LIHEAP assistance, that State will have to cut back its regular LIHEAP grant by between 15 to 20 percent.
Rhode Island, Texas, the State of Washington--on and on it goes. The bottom line is, home heating fuel costs are soaring, and LIHEAP does not have enough money to take care of the needs of people in State after State after State.
In the richest country on the face of the Earth, no family, no child, no senior citizen should be forced to go cold this winter. I am afraid that unless we act, and act very quickly, that is exactly what will be happening.
We hear a lot of talking about energy funding around here. Not every piece of legislation, in fact, is an emergency. This is an emergency. As we speak tonight, people all over this country do not have enough money to stay warm. That situation will only get worse. We have to act, and we have to act now.
Let me again thank the many cosponsors of this legislation. It is certainly bipartisan. There are cold people in Republican States, Democratic States, Independent States. We have to act together, and we have to move as rapidly as we can.
I am offering this amendment now on the Indian health bill. I will offer it at every opportunity I can. I look forward to working with the Members of the Senate to see that we do the right thing so that no American goes cold this winter.
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