[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             LIHEAP FUNDING

  (Mr. ALTMIRE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of fully funding 
the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP. With 
energy prices at record levels, it is critical that Congress provides 
adequate LIHEAP funding to protect low-income seniors and families from 
the bitter cold in the winter and the extreme heat in the summer.
  Because of rising energy prices and limited LIHEAP funding, 62,000 
Pennsylvania households that were supposed to receive funding this year 
did not. Many of the families across the country who were not able to 
obtain LIHEAP funds will be forced to decide between paying their 
energy bill or purchasing other necessities like food or medicine. This 
is a decision that no hardworking family should have to make.
  Madam Speaker, LIHEAP provides millions of low-income Americans with 
some relief from ever rising energy prices, but there are millions more 
that could use the help. I urge all of my colleagues to fully support 
funding for LIHEAP.

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