[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 4, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14742-S14743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Obama, Ms.

[[Page S14743]]

        Snowe, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Brown, Ms. Collins, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
        Lugar, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Smith, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Sununu, Mr. 
        Bingaman, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Casey, Ms. Mikulski, 
        Mr. Menendez, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Lieberman, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
        Biden, and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 2405. A bill to provide additional appropriations for payments 
under section 2604(e) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 
1981; to the Committee on Appropriations.
  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Keep 
Americans Warm Act, which provides an additional $1 billion in 
emergency home heating aid under the highly successful Low Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program, otherwise known as LIHEAP. Most importantly, 
this $1 billion in emergency home heating assistance would be in 
addition to the overall fiscal year 2008 appropriations for LIHEAP.
  I am delighted this bill enjoys widespread bipartisan support from 
across the political spectrum. As a matter of fact, this legislation is 
being cosponsored by 23 of my colleagues--16 Democrats, 6 Republicans, 
and 1 Independent.
  I would like to recognize all of the cosponsors this morning: both 
Senators from Minnesota, Mr. Coleman and Ms. Klobuchar; Senator Obama; 
both Senators from Maine, Ms. Snowe and Ms. Collins; both Senators from 
Massachusetts, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Kennedy; Senator Brown; Senator Lugar; 
the senior Senator from the great State of Vermont, Senator Leahy; 
Senator Smith; Senator Bingaman, the chairman of the Energy and Natural 
Resources Committee; Senator Sununu; both Senators from New York, Mr. 
Schumer and Mrs. Clinton; Senator Casey; Senator Mikulski; Senator 
Menendez; Senator Stabenow; Senator Lieberman; Senator Cantwell; 
Senator Biden; and Senator Boxer.
  Mr. President, the reason this legislation is being cosponsored by so 
many of my colleagues is simple: Skyrocketing home heating prices in 
New England, the Northeast, and the Mideast, are already stretching 
household budgets beyond the breaking point.
  In the wealthiest country on the face of the Earth, not one family 
should go cold this winter. That is not what America is supposed to be 
about. Not one senior citizen should have to choose between heating 
their homes or paying for their prescription drugs.
  I am afraid if we do not act, and act aggressively, that is what is 
going to happen all across this country. While the official start of 
winter is still about 3 weeks away, home heating prices in Vermont and 
in other parts of the country are already going through the roof.
  According to the Central Vermont Community Action Council, many 
Vermont families have been paying an incredible $3.47 a gallon for 
heating oil and as much as $3.71 a gallon for kerosene this year. 
Nationwide, heating oil prices are already up 90 cents from last year, 
or more than double from where they were 4 years ago. Further, the 
price of kerosene has also increased by 50 cents a gallon from last 
year.
  These rapidly rising energy prices right now are bad enough; but the 
overall projections of what people will pay for energy over the course 
of this winter is frightening.
  The National Energy Assistance Directors Association has projected 
that the typical household using heating oil will pay $2,157 to heat 
their homes this winter--a 47-percent increase from what they paid last 
year. Those using propane will pay $1,765 this winter, or 30 percent 
more than what they paid 2 years ago.
  Before we got back into session this week, the debate over LIHEAP was 
between an 11.6-percent increase from last year, as included in the 
fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS conference report, and the President's 
budget proposal of a 21-percent cut--cut--from last year.
  While the level of funding for LIHEAP included in the Labor-HHS 
conference report is a good starting point, even if this level 
eventually becomes law, it would still be 31 percent below the $3.2 
billion provided in fiscal year 2006.
  Making matters worse, the President vetoed the Labor-HHS conference 
report, insisting on a $379 million cut to LIHEAP, among other things.
  We hear a lot of talk in Washington about family values. Well, to my 
mind, a family value is that we do not let our fellow Americans go cold 
when the cost of home heating oil is exploding.
  I thank all my colleagues. This legislation has brought forth 
widespread bipartisan support from Senators all across this country. 
Let us be aggressive and pass this legislation so that in this great 
country nobody goes cold this winter. Thank you.
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