I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6533 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 21, 2012 Mr. Michaud (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Grimm, Mr. Neal, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Welch, Mr. Higgins, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Young of Alaska, Ms. Pingree of Maine, Mr. Guinta, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Towns, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Courtney, and Mr. Olver) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To establish minimum levels of assistance for certain States under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for other purposes.

1.

State allotments

Section 2604 of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8623) is amended— (1)in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting or subsection (f) after subsection (a); and (2)by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f)(1)Notwithstanding subsection (a), of the amount appropriated pursuant to section 2602(b) for a fiscal year containing a qualifying winter season, the Secretary shall allot to each qualifying State an amount that is not less than the amount allotted to such State for fiscal year 2010, and ratably reduce the amounts allotted under this section to States that are not qualifying States if necessary to ensure the allotments to qualifying States. (2)For the purposes of this subsection— (A)the term qualifying State means a State in which not less than 25 percent of households use heating oil as the primary heating fuel, as determined by the Secretary; and (B)the term qualifying winter season means a winter season occurring after the date of enactment of this subsection for which the Secretary determines that the projected average price of heating oil is greater than the average price of heating oil for the winter of 2011–2012. (3)This subsection shall not be effective for a fiscal year if the sums appropriated pursuant to section 2602(b) for such fiscal year are not sufficient to pay in full the total amount required to be allocated to all qualifying States under paragraph (1). .