U.S. SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY

(WEDNESDAY, Dec. 22) – U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) called on President Bush late Tuesday to release an additional $300 million in emergency Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding the two lawmakers fought to secure in the 2005 budget last month.

Jeffords and Leahy were joined by a bipartisan group of 44 other senators urging President Bush to take into consideration December’s cold weather and record-high home heating oil prices and tap into LIHEAP’s emergency contingency funding.  Jeffords and Leahy worked with other members of Congress to include the emergency funds on top of the $2 billion appropriated for the program.  The President can choose whether or not to release the additional funding.

The Vermont Department of Public Service has reported a 45 percent rise in home heating oil costs and a 27 percent rise in propane costs since last year.   The Vermont Fuel Assistance Program, the state organization that distributes LIHEAP funds, reports that applications for the home heating assistance program have risen by at least 5 percent compared to December 2003. 

“With the cold weather firming its grip on Vermont and the Northeast, the President needs to tap into the resources we gave him to help families cope with the high energy costs they are facing,” said Leahy.

"Keeping our homes warm in winter is not an option, it is a necessity,” said Jeffords.  “With this year's early cold weather and high energy costs, we need to make sure that every resource is available for families that need help."

Jeffords and Leahy are working to increase the overall funding for the LIHEAP program.  This year they fought to increase the program by more than $200 million, to more than $2 billion.  Next year, the program faces reauthorization, an opportunity Jeffords and Leahy say could result in substantial increases in program funding.  In November, the two Vermont lawmakers were joined by 24 other senators urging Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to quickly take up the reauthorization of LIHEAP and increase funding to $3.4 billion when the Senate returns in January. 

In 2003, more than 18,000 Vermont households benefited from LIHEAP funds. 

Vermonters looking for home heating assistance should contact the Vermont Office of Home Heating Fuel Assistance at 1-800-479-6151 or 1-802-241-1165.  Visit them online at http://www.dpath.state.vt.us/Programs_Pages/Fuel/fuel.htm.

[View the letter]