GREGG URGES COLLEAGUES TO INCLUDE BIPARTISAN HEATING ASSISTANCE MEASURE IN CONTINUING RESOLUTION
WARM Act Adds Additional $2.5 Billion in LIHEAP Funding, Triples Weatherization Funding, and Provides Middle-Income Tax-Credit for Heating Oil
September 11, 2008
Contact: Andrea Wuebker/Laena Fallon
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) today wrote to his colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to include S. 3323, the Weatherization, Assistance, and Relief for Middle-Income Households (WARM) Act, which he authored, in any Continuing Resolution that is considered by the Senate in the coming weeks. A Continuing Resolution is likely to be the legislation used to fund federal government activities into next year, since the Democratic Majority has decided to not move forward on the annual appropriations bills.
The WARM Act would provide an additional $2.5 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), nearly doubling its current level of funding. It would fully fund LIHEAP to the highest authorized level for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 and ensure that every state receives additional LIHEAP funds this coming winter. In addition, the WARM Act would more than triple the Department of Energy’s weatherization assistance program to its fully authorized level of $750 million for FY 2008, providing an additional $523 million to the program. It also contains a new middle-income tax credit of as much as $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples for home heating oil purchases this winter.
Senator Gregg stated, “Just this week we felt the first snap of cold weather in New Hampshire, a certain preview of the temperatures we will face this winter. Though prices have come down slightly, heating oil is still significantly more expensive than it was last winter. It is critical that we pass my bipartisan WARM Act, which provides assistance for low income individuals, families and seniors to heat and weatherize their homes, and provides a tax credit for middle-income folks to help with heating oil costs this winter. Most importantly, my legislation provides this assistance in a fiscally responsible manner and does not pass on the cost to our children and grandchildren. Since the Democratic Majority has ducked its constitutional responsibility of passing appropriations bills through regular order this year, I urge my colleagues to include the WARM Act in the Continuing Resolution so that folks in New Hampshire and other cold weather states receive the necessary assistance to stay warm this winter.”
The full text of the letter is included below.
September 11, 2008
The Honorable Robert C. Byrd The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman Ranking Member
Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Byrd and Ranking Member Cochran:
I am writing to ask for your support for including S. 3323, the Weatherization, Assistance, and Relief for Middle-Income Households (WARM) Act of 2008, in any Continuing Resolution that may be considered later this session.
As you are well aware, home energy prices have increased dramatically over the past year. For example, in New Hampshire, the price of home heating oil has increased nearly sixty percent, which has a significant impact on our state where more than half the households rely on heating oil as the sole means of heating their homes. With the price of heating oil rising so considerably, Congress must take action to address this serious and timely issue, which is why I ask for your support for including S. 3323 in any Continuing Resolution. There is no reason that seniors, low-income individuals and families should have to choose between basic necessities such as groceries and medicine in order to pay their heating bills. The problem goes beyond low-income households though, and middle-class working families, who have already had their budgets strained with the rising costs of fuel and other consumer products, deserve some help with filling their heating oil tanks too.
Introduced on July 24, 2008, the WARM Act of 2008 would provide a three-pronged, fiscally responsible approach for Americans struggling to cope with high energy costs. Specifically, my bipartisan legislation would direct an additional $2.5 billion to LIHEAP, nearly doubling the current level of funding for the program. It would fully fund LIHEAP to the highest authorized level for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 and ensure that every state receives additional LIHEAP funds this coming winter. In addition, the WARM Act would more than triple the Department of Energy’s weatherization assistance program to its fully authorized level of $750 million for FY 2008, providing an additional $523 million to the program. Lastly, my legislation includes a middle-income tax credit of as much as $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples for home heating oil purchases this winter. With projected average home heating oil expenditures totaling $2,602 for households in the Northeast, this tax credit would provide significant relief in paying these enormous costs.
The Senate has shown bipartisan support for taking action to help individuals and families deal with the exploding home energy costs, and S. 3323 provides the necessary tools to address this need – additional LIHEAP and weatherization funds as well as a middle-income tax credit for home heating oil. Most importantly, my legislation is fully offset and will not shoulder future generations with billions in debt. In particular, the measure would repeal the Section 199 manufacturing deduction for major integrated oil companies as well as make clarifications regarding the determination of foreign oil and gas extraction income (FOGEI).
Including S. 3323 in any Continuing Resolution is a fiscally responsible approach to addressing one of the most pressing issues of this Congress.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Judd Gregg
U.S. Senator
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