[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 163 (Thursday, November 29, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF A SIMPLE RESOLUTION TO ENCOURAGE THE PRESIDENT TO USE 
  HIS POWER TO RELEASE LIHEAP EMERGENCY FUNDS TO THOSE WHO LOST THEIR 
                      JOBS AS A RESULT OF 9/11/01

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 29, 2001

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of people who recently 
have been laid off from work are reliving the terrorist attacks in the 
economic aftermath of September 11th.
  As of today, 638,000 layoffs have already been announced in our 
country.
  Fewer than 2 out of 5 employers who have handed out pink slips in the 
third quarter of this year indicate that they anticipate calling their 
laid off employees back to work.
  The nation's unemployment rate soared from 4.9 percent in September 
to 5.4 percent in October.
  In Los Angeles County the unemployment rate is 6 percent.
  In my congressional district, the City of El Monte has an 
unemployment rate of 7.6 percent and South El Monte has an unemployment 
rate of 9.3 percent.
  All of this in time for Christmas--and the cold winter to follow.
  It is our duty--and responsibility--to help those who are suffering 
the ripple effects of the worst domestic attack in our country's 
history.
  We need to act immediately, because the federal government's 
assistance is needed now.
  The resolution that I bring before the House today would encourage 
the President to answer this immediate need by expanding the Low Income 
Energy Assistance Program--LIHEAP.
  The LIHEAP program is a federally funded block grant program that 
helps ease the energy cost burden of low-income households.
  The need for this program has been great.
  Residential heating oil prices were 48 percent higher in 2000 than in 
1999.
  Residential natural gas prices were 44 percent higher in 2000 than in 
1999.
  Higher prices mean an added burden to those who are already 
struggling to make ends meet.
  As you can imagine, Mr. Speaker, there are many more people who will 
need this energy assistance because of our country's recent tragedies.
  Unfortunately, the more people there are--the less there is to go 
around.
  LIHEAP has two pots of money--one which goes to States in the form of 
a block grant and another that is distributed by the President for 
emergency use.
  This resolution will encourage the President to use this emergency 
fund in our current time of uncertainty to help those who have lost 
their jobs as a result of the attack on our nation.
  We must act now to get our country's working families through this 
horrible time.
  The other body has already passed a similar resolution.
  I encourage my colleagues to adopt this resolution and ask the 
President to use his powers to release LIHEAP funds to those who have 
lost their jobs in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks and 
to those that have suffered prolonged unemployment since early this 
year.
  This bill is a step in the right direction and could mean the 
difference between a family's financial ruin and their foundation for 
the future.

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