Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
Floor Speech
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - December 04, 2007)
By Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Obama, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Brown, Ms. Collins, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Smith, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Casey, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Lieberman, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Biden, and Mrs. Boxer):
S. 2405. A bill to provide additional appropriations for payments under section 2604(e) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981; to the Committee on Appropriations.
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Keep Americans Warm Act, which provides an additional $1 billion in emergency home heating aid under the highly successful Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, otherwise known as LIHEAP. Most importantly, this $1 billion in emergency home heating assistance would be in addition to the overall fiscal year 2008 appropriations for LIHEAP.
I am delighted this bill enjoys widespread bipartisan support from across the political spectrum. As a matter of fact, this legislation is being cosponsored by 23 of my colleagues--16 Democrats, 6 Republicans, and 1 Independent.
I would like to recognize all of the cosponsors this morning: both Senators from Minnesota, Mr. Coleman and Ms. Klobuchar; Senator Obama; both Senators from Maine, Ms. Snowe and Ms. Collins; both Senators from Massachusetts, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Kennedy; Senator Brown; Senator Lugar; the senior Senator from the great State of Vermont, Senator Leahy; Senator Smith; Senator Bingaman, the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Senator Sununu; both Senators from New York, Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Clinton; Senator Casey; Senator Mikulski; Senator Menendez; Senator Stabenow; Senator Lieberman; Senator Cantwell; Senator Biden; and Senator Boxer.
Mr. President, the reason this legislation is being cosponsored by so many of my colleagues is simple: Skyrocketing home heating prices in New England, the Northeast, and the Mideast, are already stretching household budgets beyond the breaking point.
In the wealthiest country on the face of the Earth, not one family should go cold this winter. That is not what America is supposed to be about. Not one senior citizen should have to choose between heating their homes or paying for their prescription drugs.
I am afraid if we do not act, and act aggressively, that is what is going to happen all across this country. While the official start of winter is still about 3 weeks away, home heating prices in Vermont and in other parts of the country are already going through the roof.
According to the Central Vermont Community Action Council, many Vermont families have been paying an incredible $3.47 a gallon for heating oil and as much as $3.71 a gallon for kerosene this year. Nationwide, heating oil prices are already up 90 cents from last year, or more than double from where they were 4 years ago. Further, the price of kerosene has also increased by 50 cents a gallon from last year.
These rapidly rising energy prices right now are bad enough; but the overall projections of what people will pay for energy over the course of this winter is frightening.
The National Energy Assistance Directors Association has projected that the typical household using heating oil will pay $2,157 to heat their homes this winter--a 47-percent increase from what they paid last year. Those using propane will pay $1,765 this winter, or 30 percent more than what they paid 2 years ago.
Before we got back into session this week, the debate over LIHEAP was between an 11.6-percent increase from last year, as included in the fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS conference report, and the President's budget proposal of a 21-percent cut--cut--from last year.
While the level of funding for LIHEAP included in the Labor-HHS conference report is a good starting point, even if this level eventually becomes law, it would still be 31 percent below the $3.2 billion provided in fiscal year 2006.
Making matters worse, the President vetoed the Labor-HHS conference report, insisting on a $379 million cut to LIHEAP, among other things.
We hear a lot of talk in Washington about family values. Well, to my mind, a family value is that we do not let our fellow Americans go cold when the cost of home heating oil is exploding.
I thank all my colleagues. This legislation has brought forth widespread bipartisan support from Senators all across this country. Let us be aggressive and pass this legislation so that in this great country nobody goes cold this winter. Thank you.
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