LIHEAP

Rising fuel prices have left many in New Hampshire wondering how they will be able to afford to heat their homes this winter, especially seniors living on fixed incomes.  Addressing this crisis has been one of my highest priorities since early this summer, when I began working to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP.  LIHEAP provides federal money for energy assistance programs to states, who distribute it to qualified low-income and at-risk citizens, mainly seniors and families with small children.

The budget submitted by President Bush in February would have cut LIHEAP funding by $500 million.  This would not have been enough to fund the program and protect our citizens from the cold in a normal year and it certainly was not enough this year, with record heating fuel prices.  I worked with my colleagues in Congress to reject this funding cut and restore the necessary funding for this critical program.

When oil prices spiked this summer, it became clear that maintaining LIHEAP funding at last year's levels would have meant that thousands of our most vulnerable citizens would not receive the assistance they needed.  In order to fix this problem before winter set in, I introduced legislation, the Home Energy Assistance through Emergency Relief Act (H.R. 6538) to compensate for increased fuel prices and worsening economic conditions by tripling LIHEAP funding.  I also sent frequent letters to President Bush, Speaker Pelosi, and Majority Leader Hoyer urging them to support increased LIHEAP funding.

My work paid off.  On September 24, the House passed legislation which provides $5.1 billion for LIHEAP. This legislation has been signed into law.  For the first time in the history of the program, LIHEAP will be fully funded.  $47.7 million of this funding will be spent providing heat for thousands of families in New Hampshire this winter. 

For more information about LIHEAP and how to apply for assistance, please click here.

Medicare

In June, I supported an important bill that preserved access to Medicare and allowed our seniors to continue to receive the healthcare they need from the doctors they know, trust, and choose.  Without the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6331), physicians would have taken a 10% payment cut under Medicare.  This would have made it difficult, if not impossible, for many doctors to afford to see Medicare patients.  This bill ensures that seniors will continue to have access to healthcare. 

I was also an original cosponsor of the Medicare Prescription Drug Negotiation Act (H.R. 4), a cost-saving measure that requires the federal government to negotiate lower prices for Medicare prescription drugs.  This legislation, which passed the House on January 12, 2007, is still awaiting action in the Senate, and has a veto threat from the President. 

Last year, I was proud to support the CHAMP Act (H.R. 3162), which in addition to extending healthcare for low-income children under the SCHIP program, would have also provided needed relief for low-income seniors who rely on prescription medication benefits from Medicare Part D. It expanded the list of preventive screenings currently covered by Medicare to include prostate and breast cancer and protected doctors from a 10% cut in their Medicare reimbursements, which would have threatened the care of our seniors. The CHAMP Act also reduced funding for the Medicare Advantage program, which was causing inflated costs to seniors, and in its place provided increased traditional Medicare protection to the elderly and persons with disabilities.  The House passed this bill on August 1, 2007, but unfortunately, the Senate refused to act on these critical reforms for our seniors.  

To read more about my work on healthcare issues, please click here.

Veterans

I have also focused on improving health care access and benefits for New Hampshire's veterans.  In July, I introduced legislation, the Veterans Health Equity Act (H.R. 6629), which would ensure that every state has a full-service veterans facility or access to comparable healthcare within the state.  New Hampshire is the only state that does not have a full service veterans' hospital or comparable facility.  Because of this, our sickest veterans are often forced to travel long distances out of state to receive the healthcare they need.  This is unacceptable. 

In addition to introducing legislation, I have engaged in a full-bore lobbying effort to remedy this problem.  I have spoken with Veterans Administration Secretary Peake about this issue, and have brought him, as well as Rep. Bob Filner, chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and Rep. Chet Edwards, Chair of the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee, to visit the Manchester VA facility. 

I will continue to fight to ensure that New Hampshire's veterans, as well as all our senior citizens, are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.  For more information about my work on veterans' issues, please click here . 

Social Security

I support Social Security reform that protects benefits for our seniors and preserves the future for our children.  I was pleased to cosponsor the Social Security Fairness Act of 2007 (H.R. 82), which repeals the government pension offset requirements and the windfall elimination provision. Both of these provisions create an undue burden on hardworking Americans that are planning for retirement.

I also cosponsored the Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 1322), which would help ensure that retirees' social security is protected by barring post-retirement benefit reductions. It would also create group health benefit restoration programs, and grant health loans to assist sponsors in benefit restoration programs.