[House Document 106-295]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-295


 
         THE REQUEST AND AVAILABILITY OF BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS





                             COMMUNICATION

                                  FROM

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

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




 September 25, 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, September 23, 2000.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    Sir: In accordance with provisions of the FY 2000 Emergency 
Supplemental Act, as included in Public Law 106-246, I hereby 
request and make available appropriations of $400,000,000 in 
budget authority for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program of the Department of Health and Human Services. These 
funds will enable the Department to address the needs of low-
income households in all States that are facing significant 
increases in heating fuel prices.
    I designate the $400,000,000 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.
             [Estimate No. 23, 106th Congress, 2d Session]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                Washington, DC, September 23, 2000.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration is a request to make 
available $400.0 million in emergency appropriations for the 
Department of Health and Human Services. Your approval of this 
request would make available previously appropriated funds to 
the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help 
all States address the needs of low-income households that are 
facing significant increases in heating fuel prices, with a 
majority of funds distributed to the colder weather States of 
the Northeast and Midwest.
    The FY 2000 Emergency Supplemental Act, as included in 
Public Law 106-246, provided $600.0 million for LIHEAP, 
contingent upon the President submitting a budget request to 
the Congress and designating the entire amount requested as an 
emergency requirement. These funds replenished the LIHEAP 
contingent emergency fund, which was exhausted this past winter 
in response to oil price increases. To date, you have released 
a total of $44.4 million of this emergency funding to address 
the needs of low-income households in eight southern States 
arising from extremely hot weather conditions; low-income 
households in Alaska needing assistance with fuel costs in 
light of the fisheries disaster; and, low-income households in 
California that were facing extremely high electricity prices 
this summer.
    I recommend that you designate this request for $400.0 
million as an emergency funding 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..................................    $400,000,000

    The FY 2000 Emergency Supplemental Act, as included in 
Public Law 106-246, provided $600,000,000 for the Low Income 
Home Energy Assistance Program, contingent upon the President 
submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the 
entire amount requested as an emergency requirement.
    Of the $600,000,000 in contingent emergency appropriations 
provided by Public Law 106-246, $44,350,000 has been designated 
as an emergency requirement and made available. At this time, 
an additional $400,000,000 in contingent funding is required to 
support the needs of low-income households throughout the 
United States arising from significant increases in heating 
fuel prices. These funds will enable all States to assist low-
income households affected by price increases that have 
occurred throughout the country and will provide additional 
assistance to the States in proportion to their usage of 
heating oil, natural gas, and propane.