“How long is it going to take for this Administration to realize that not fully funding LIHEAP will mean millions of families and seniors will be unable to stay warm this winter?,” Senator Kerry asked. “I am happy that Senator Kennedy and I could send this letter to the President today, and I hope he hears our concerns before it’s too late. With home heating costs going through the roof, pretty soon families across the country will be forced to make a choice between heating their homes and putting food on the table. Fully funding LIHEAP will help the families who need it most - it’s time we get this done.”

Senator Kennedy said, “The American people won’t stand for a government that puts irresponsible tax breaks for the wealthy ahead of funding for assistance for our families that need help the most. LIHEAP funding has been stagnate over the past decade and the Bush Administration has failed to make energy conservation a priority. America deserves better. We have the ability to tell the elderly, and the disabled, and many others that we hear them, and that we won’t leave them shivering in the cold this winter. I’m offering an amendment to the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill tomorrow to include additional funding for our families.”

Below please find a copy of the letter to President Bush:

October 18, 2005

President George Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush:

Last week, the Energy Information Administration released an updated outlook on the costs of winter fuels. Based on their forecast, we learned that families all over this country are going to pay more to heat their homes this winter than they ever have before. The average heating bill may climb more than $600, and that comes on top of a record increase last winter. Without a doubt, this is going to be one of the most expensive winters on record.

Millions of families, who simply need to heat their homes, are going to face prices they cannot afford. They will choose between medicine, food and warmth. To combat this impending crisis, we offered an amendment last week to fully fund the LIHEAP program at $5.1 billion - - the level authorized in the energy bill which you signed into law. The amendment had support from across the country, and it was endorsed by the AARP because this is such an important issue for seniors living on a fixed income. Unfortunately, the amendment was defeated on procedural grounds.

We are not giving up, however, and we will be joining Senators Reed, Collins, Snowe and others in offering the amendment again this week in the Senate. It’s true that we have received some bipartisan support for additional LIHEAP funding. Unfortunately, about the only message we’ve heard from the White House is politics.

Last week, Secretary of Energy Bodman stated that the Administration does not intend to seek additional funding for LIHEAP. This week, it was reported that the White House is worried not about high energy prices, but about the politics of high energy prices. A key Republican strategist highlighted concerns about the rising heating costs on the mid-term elections and even went so for as to call it "a sleeper issue.” It’s time your Administration provides help.

The $2 billion requested in your budget for fiscal year 2006 will not meet the needs of low-income Americans given the energy crisis we know is coming. We write today to urge you to work with us. This isn’t just a debate about another political issue. It’s a debate about how we help working families pay to heat their homes this winter. It’s a debate about whether we force seniors to choose between prescription drugs and a warm home. And it’s a debate about whether or not we put politics aside and work together to provide the necessary $5.1 billion in LIHEAP assistance for America’s families.

We hope you will join us in this bipartisan effort. Sincerely, John F. Kerry Edward M. Kennedy

###