(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Concord Township) today announced that President Bush will release an extra $1 billion in low-income energy assistance, including $500 million in emergency contingency funds targeted to the areas most adversely affected by rising energy prices.

 LaTourette and Congressman Martin Meehan (D-MA), co-chairs of the Northeast Midwest Congressional Coalition, introduced legislation last month to free up the funds.  A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).  The House and Senate each passed measures last week to release the funds, and the President signed the bill into law Monday.

 “Ohio and several other states have either exhausted or nearly exhausted their low-income heating assistance funds for the year so this infusion of cash will be welcomed,” LaTourette said.

 About 4.5 million low-income households receive LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) help each year.  This year, millions of Americans have seen their heating bills rise by 25 percent or more.  The government has already provided $2.1 billion in LIHEAP funds, and has another $101 million in emergency assistance in reserve.

 LaTourette also recently introduced bipartisan legislation designed to help lower- and middle-income Americans defray the high cost of heating their homes this winter through a one-time refundable tax credit covering 25 percent of a family’s home energy costs.  That bill, H.R. 4729, is pending in the House Committee on Ways and Means.