PRINTER'S NO. 1236
No. 191 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, COSTA, MELLOW, STACK, LAVALLE, WASHINGTON,
FUMO, A. WILLIAMS, O'PAKE, KASUNIC, WAUGH, ARMSTRONG,
GREENLEAF, LEMMOND, BRIGHTBILL, THOMPSON, WENGER, JUBELIRER,
GORDNER, RHOADES, ORIE, D. WHITE, CONTI, ROBBINS, LOGAN,
WOZNIAK, FERLO, KITCHEN, ERICKSON, C. WILLIAMS, FONTANA,
TARTAGLIONE, MUSTO, STOUT, CORMAN, PIPPY, PILEGGI,
WONDERLING, EARLL, RAFFERTY AND BROWNE, OCTOBER 18, 2005
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, OCTOBER 18, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the Congress of the United States to appropriate
2 supplemental funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
3 Program.
4 WHEREAS, The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
5 (LIHEAP) was established by Congress as a federally funded
6 program providing energy assistance to low-income persons for
7 heating their homes; and
8 WHEREAS, Many Pennsylvanians received these energy assistance
9 grants for several years; and
10 WHEREAS, Natural gas, electric and home heating oil prices
11 have risen steadily over the past several years and are
12 predicted to be even higher for this winter; and
13 WHEREAS, Home heating oil prices are predicted to increase by
14 52%; and
15 WHEREAS, Natural gas prices are predicted to increase by 36%
16 or higher; and
1 WHEREAS, The Federal allocation for LIHEAP has remained at $2
2 billion for years; and
3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will receive $120
4 million, the same amount it received last year; and
5 WHEREAS, More than 70% of eligible residential customers in
6 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are not able to receive
7 assistance due to lack of funding; and
8 WHEREAS, Some increase in home heating prices is due to
9 devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and
10 WHEREAS, While the Gulf Coast states were directly struck by
11 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, northeastern states have felt the
12 impact of the storms through a sharp increase in natural gas,
13 electric and home heating oil costs; and
14 WHEREAS, Gas companies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 receive 80% of their natural gas supply from Gulf Coast
16 suppliers; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
18 memorialize Congress to appropriate supplemental LIHEAP funds as
19 part of any disaster relief legislation to assist those states
20 which will be impacted by higher prices and shortages in the
21 midst of a predicted harsh winter; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
23 the Clerk of the United States Senate and the Clerk of the
24 United States House of Representatives.
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