Letter to Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Tiahrt
The Honorable David R. Obey The Honorable Todd Tiahrt
Chairman Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
Human Services and Education Human Services and Education
Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Tiahrt:
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides a vital safety net for our nation’s low-income households. LIHEAP helps low-income families and seniors remain healthy and secure from bitter cold winters in the North and hot summers in the South. We are writing to request that the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill provide at least $5.1 billion for LIHEAP in formula grants for fiscal year (FY) 2011, the funding levels set forth in the last authorization approved for this program. Additionally, we ask that you consider providing sufficient contingency funds necessary to enable the program to function at its current capacity.
Funding LIHEAP at this level in regular funding and advance appropriations can help working low-income families, senior citizens, and disabled individuals maintain economic stability. Many low-income families, disabled individuals, and senior citizens living on fixed incomes face unaffordable home energy costs—spending up to 17 percent of their income on home energy bills. The number of households is expected to again reach record levels this year. According to National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, states expect to serve about 9.5 million households with heating assistance. This represents a 25 percent increase over last year and an additional 1.9 million households. The rapid increase in the number of households served reflects the rise in unemployment, as well as, continuing high home energy prices.
Families Struggle to Pay High Home Energy Bills
Energy prices have continued to remain high and unaffordable for many Americans. According to data provided by the US Energy Information Administration, home energy prices have increased by almost 50 percent in the past five years – from $681 during the winter of 2002-03 to $990 last year, and they are expected to remain at about the same level this coming winter.
Low income families struggle to pay their home energy bills and LIHEAP is the one way that many manage to do so. A recent survey by the state LIHEAP directors of more than 1,200 poor families found that 32 percent went without food for at least a day, 42 percent went without medical or dental care and 38 percent did not fill prescription or took less than the full dose of medicine. Meanwhile, the average LIHEAP grant is about $540 and only about 15 percent of eligible households receive this vital assistance.
In addition, the program helps low-income homeowners weatherize their homes to save energy and lower their energy burden. On average, weatherization reduces energy usage while also reducing heating bills by 31 percent and overall energy bills by $200 to $250 per year.
Energy is a basic need, and without LIHEAP assistance, low-income families, the disabled, and senior citizens face the impossible choice between paying their home energy bills or affording other basic necessities such as prescription drugs, housing, and food.
Finally, advance LIHEAP funding enables states to pre-purchase fuel and to start planning for the winter heating season in spring and early summer and improves program management. It also ensures that states provide timely assistance to low-income families who cannot afford to wait.
Thank you for your continued support of this program and for consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
JAMES L. OBERSTAR MICHAEL CASTLE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
EDWARD J. MARKEY CAROLYN McCARTHY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CHRIS VAN HOLLEN PETER T. KING
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LOUISE M. SLAUGHTER FRANK A. LoBIONDO
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BARNEY FRANK LEONARD LANCE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
SANDER M. LEVIN CHRISTOPHER JOHN LEE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
IKE SKELTON JIM GERLACH
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN CONYERS JR. THOMAS E. PETRI
Member of Congress Member of Congress
NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ TIM MURPHY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ROBERT A. BRADY SILVESTRE REYES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BOB FILNER JOHN W. OLVER
Member of Congress Member of Congress
PETER WELCH JOHN J. HALL
Member of Congress Member of Congress
MAURICE D. HINCHEY MICHAEL E. CAPUANO
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JAMES P. McGOVERN RICK BOUCHER
Member of Congress Member of Congress
EARL BLUMENAUER CHRISTOPHER MURPHY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
NIKI TSONGAS BETTY SUTTON
Member of Congress Member of Congress
MICHAEL F. DOYLE RUSS CARNAHAN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BOBBY L. RUSH DONNA F. EDWARDS
Member of Congress Member of Congress
MICHAEL H. MICHAUD DENNIS MOORE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
MIKE ROSS GENE GREEN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ANDRE CARSON YVETTE D. CLARKE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LEONARD L. BOSWELL TAMMY BALDWIN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY JOSE E. SERRANO
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CHELLIE PINGREE CHARLES A. WILSON
Member of Congress Member of Congress
DAVID WU RAUL M. GRIJALVA
Member of Congress Member of Congress
PAUL TONKO ALBIO SIRES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CAROL SHEA-PORTER JOE SESTAK
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CHRISTOPHER P. CARNEY RUSH D. HOLT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
EMANUEL CLEAVER ROBERT C. SCOTT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
GABRIELLE GIFFORDS FRANK PALLONE JR.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN A. YARMUTH JOSEPH CROWLEY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS STEVE KAGEN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN DAVID LOEBSACK
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN LEWIS PATRICK J. KENNEDY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOE COURTNEY JOHN D. DINGELL
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BILL DELAHUNT JOHN P. SARBANES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CORRINE BROWN PAUL W. HODES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
TIM HOLDEN THOMAS S. P. PERIELLO
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JUDY CHU JAMES R. LANGEVIN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BRIAN HIGGINS DAVID SCOTT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
MICHAEL E. McMAHON EARL POMEROY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
STEVE COHEN ELIOT L. ENGEL
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JEROLD NADLER GREGORIO SABLAN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
RON KIND STEPHEN F. LYNCH
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BART STUPAK JASON ALTMIRE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BILL PASCRELL JR. CHARLES B. RANGELL
Member of Congress Member of Congress
PHIL HARE CAROLYN B. MALONEY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
MICHAEL A. ARCURI DENNIS J. KUCINICH
Member of Congress Member of Congress
RICHARD E. NEAL VIC SNYDER
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LUIS V. GUTIERREZ PAUL E. KANJORSKI
Member of Congress Member of Congress
The Select Committee was active during the 110th and 111th Congresses. This is an archived version of the website, to ensure that the public has ongoing access to the Select Committee record. This website, including external links, will not be updated after Jan. 3rd, 2010.
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