Home heating

WASHINGTON, May 22 – The Senate today approved legislation that includes support for veterans and for people who need help paying spiraling home heating bills. Both provisions were championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Sanders played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role in securing an additional $1 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. “At a time when the cost of oil is soaring, it is important to expand the home heating assistance program to make certain that no Vermonter goes cold next winter.”    » read more »

April 7, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is calling on Senate appropriators to fully fund the Low-Income Housing and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal year 2009. Feingold is requesting $5.1 billion for LIHEAP; the Administration’s budget request would only provide $2 billion, forcing states to either lower benefit amounts or assist fewer people.

Oil furnace plate: Photo by wader (CC)    » read more »

United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee Hearing

March 5, 2008 -- (As Prepared for Delivery)

I commend Chairman Dodd for holding this hearing. It’s an incredibly important issue for millions of Americans struggling to keep warm and pay their bills this winter.

With energy prices rising across the board, countless families can’t afford to pay for heat, particularly when the economy is getting weaker every day.    » read more »

Second Grant Available to Those in Crisis

February 11, 2008 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced that additional emergency home heating assistance is being made available to New York’s most vulnerable residents, in response to rising energy costs.    » read more »

01/30/2008 -- Senator Bernie Sanders and others are pushing to include home-energy assistance funding in an economic stimulus package the Senate is debating. Growing energy costs and cold weather have made additional funding a necessity for low-income families, seniors on fixed incomes and the disabled. Funding in the stimulus plan would be used immediately to help pay utility bills, jumpstart the economy and support small businesses that deliver heating fuels.    » read more »

January 30, 2008 -- Montpelier, Vt. — Vermont Governor Jim Douglas and the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG) today sent a letter to the United States Senate urging them to include additional funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) currently being considered in Washington.    » read more »

January 24, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is calling on the Senate leadership to fully fund the Low-Income Housing and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the current year. In a letter, Feingold requested additional fiscal year 2008 funds to provide a total of $5.1 billion—previous appropriations have only provided about 50 percent (or $2.6 billion) of the authorized funds. Feingold also recently urged that full funding be included in the President’s budget for next year, which will be released soon.    » read more »