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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Press Secretary |
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SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 |
(202) 225-5206 |
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BRADLEY AND BASS APPLAUD RELEASE OF NEARLY $3 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL LIHEAP FUNDS FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE
Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Reps. Jeb Bradley and Charles Bass (R-NH) today announced that New Hampshire is slated to receive $2.98 million in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by the end of the week. The funds are included in the LIHEAP surplus account, which was set to expire at the end of this fiscal year. The Bush Administration will release the surplus funds tomorrow. Bradley and Bass sent a letter to President Bush last week urging him to release the surplus funds in the LIHEAP account before they expired at the end of this fiscal year, on September 30th. “The announcement of nearly $3 million in LIHEAP funds for New Hampshire is great news for the low-income families in our state that need help with their heating costs,” said Bradley. “I have long advocated for increasing funding for this important program, having helped to secure an additional $1 billion in funding for LIHEAP earlier this year. Winter is right around the corner, and today’s additional funding will give the state the ability to get a head start on planning.” “This additional funding brings the total for the Granite State to almost $28 million and represents home heating assistance for an additional 4,500 families at the average benefit level,” said Bass. “Our Community Action Agencies deserve credit for administering an effective program to help pay energy bills during the winter heating season for our neediest households and I know these resources will be put to good use as we plan for the upcoming winter season. The more than 50% increase over last year’s level of $18 million for New Hampshire is a result of the $1 billion added to the program by the Deficit Reduction Act. I was pleased to work with the entire federal delegation and the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning to ensure this success.” Bradley and Bass have both been longtime supporters of increasing funding for LIHEAP. Earlier this year, Congressman Bradley was successful in urging House Leadership to bring legislation to the floor for a vote that would increase funding for LIHEAP by $1 billion for this fiscal year. Last June, Bradley was successful in having $22 million included in the House version of the fiscal year 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Bass successfully amended the fiscal year 2006 Deficit Reduction Act to include $1 billion in additional LIHEAP funding to reflect higher energy costs. This additional amount was offset through other savings and added to the final version of the budget bill despite a late year attempt to remove this funding, which was defeated when northern Members of the House, led by Bass and the rest of the New Hampshire delegation, strongly objected.
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