[House Document 106-206]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





106th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-206
-----------------------------------------------------------------------



 
             APPROPRIATIONS FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

REQUEST AND AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
     AND HUMAN SERVICES' LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM




March 6, 2000.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered 
                             to be printed

                                -------                                

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
79-012                     WASHINGTON : 2000       





                                           The White House,
                                     Washington, February 16, 2000.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    Sir: In accordance with provisions of the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, as enacted by section 
1000(a)(4) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2000, Public 
Law 106-113, I hereby request and make available appropriations 
of $120,000,000 in budget authority for the Department of 
Health and Human Services' Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program. These funds will enable the Department to address the 
needs of 31 States that have been most seriously affected by 
increases in heating oil prices this winter.
    I hereby designate the $120,000,000 made available today as 
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of 
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, 
as amended.
    The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed 
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget. I concur with his comments and observations.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.
    Enclosure.


                [Estimate No. 4, 106th Cong., 2d Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                 Washington, DC, February 16, 2000.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration is a request to make 
available $120.0 million in emergency appropriations for the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Your approval of 
this request would make available previously appropriated funds 
to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to 
address the needs of 31 States that have been most seriously 
affected by increases in heating oil prices this winter.
    The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, as 
enacted by section 1000(a)(4) of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2000, P.L. 106-113, provided $300.0 million 
for LIHEAP, contingent upon the President submitting a budget 
request to the Congress and designating the entire amount 
requested as an emergency requirement. To date, you have 
released $175.0 million of this emergency funding to address 
needs arising from substantial increases in home heating fuel 
costs across the country and $5.0 million to provide support to 
New Jersey in the wake of Hurricane Floyd.
    I recommend that you designate this request for $120.0 
million as an emergency requirement in accordance with section 
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
Control Act of 1985, as amended. No further congressional 
action will be required.
    I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied 
that it is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services in recommending that you 
make the requested funds available by signing the enclosed 
letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            Sincerely,
                                              Jacob J. Lew,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made 
                       Available by the President

Department of Health and Human Services
    Administration for Children and Families:
        Low-income home energy assistance program.......    $120,000,000

    The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, as 
enacted by section 1000(a)(4) of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2000, Public Law 106-113, provided 
$300,000,000 for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program 
(LIHEAP), contingent upon the President submitting a budget 
request to the Congress and designating the entire amount 
requested as an emergency requirement.
    Of the $300,000,000 in contingent emergency appropriations, 
$180,000,000 has been designated as an emergency requirement 
and made available. At this time, the remaining $120,000,000 in 
contingent funding is required to assist 31 States that have 
been most seriously affected by increases in heating oil prices 
this winter.

                                

