[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 134 (Thursday, October 20, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H8989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INCREASED FUNDING FOR LIHEAP NEEDED

  (Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring 
attention to a problem that many Americans are facing as we approach 
winter: the cost of heating their homes.
  The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently projected that 
the cost of heating a home this winter, regardless of the type of fuel, 
will increase dramatically from last year. In order to counteract this 
dramatic spike in energy costs, we need to increase funding for the Low 
Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. It is a tremendously 
successful program that enables States to provide low-income families 
with energy assistance.
  In my State of New Hampshire, LIHEAP funding helps people afford to 
heat their homes and not have to make the difficult choices of paying 
their rent, of buying food and medications, or keeping their homes 
warm.
  In order to simply meet last year's purchasing power, we must 
increase LIHEAP funding by $1.276 billion. This is an issue that 
crosses State and party lines and one that needs to be addressed 
immediately.
  Mr. Speaker, let us act today to increase this funding before 
Hurricane Katrina claims more victims this winter.

                          ____________________