[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 22 (Thursday, February 15, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 26--STATING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING FUNDING 
           FOR THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

  Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Kennedy, and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

                               S. Res. 26

       Whereas home energy assistance for working, low-income, and 
     middle-income families with children, the elderly on fixed 
     incomes, individuals with disabilities, and others who need 
     such assistance is a critical part of the social safety net 
     in cold weather areas during the winter, and a source of 
     necessary cooling assistance during the summer;
       Whereas the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``LIHEAP'') provides a 
     highly targeted, cost-effective way to help millions of low-
     income residents of the United States pay their home energy 
     bills;
       Whereas more than \2/3\ of the households that are eligible 
     for assistance through LIHEAP have annual incomes of less 
     than $8,000, and approximately \1/2\ of those households have 
     annual incomes of less than $6,000;
       Whereas regular and emergency funding for LIHEAP for fiscal 
     year 2001 has been exhausted in some States and nearly 
     exhausted in several other States;
       Whereas as a result, more than 30,000,000 households around 
     the Nation may be left without energy assistance in areas 
     that may face several more weeks of cold winter weather; and
       Whereas without additional funding, members of those 
     households may be forced to make an unacceptable choice 
     between heating their homes or purchasing food, medicine, or 
     other basic necessities: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     President and Congress should immediately prepare and enact a 
     supplemental appropriations bill to provide $1,000,000,000 in 
     regular funding for LIHEAP, $152,000,000 for weatherization 
     assistance grants under part A of title IV of the Energy 
     Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.), and 
     $37,000,000 for State energy conservation plan grants under 
     part D of title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.).

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