Congressman Salazar Secures Additional Funding for Home Energy Assistance
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Salazar has secured an additional $2.5 billion to help Colorado families, and families across the nation, heat their homes this winter. The additional funding is included in the FY09 Continuing Resolution scheduled for the House floor later today.
Salazar, a San Luis Valley native, has made assistance for heating costs a priority since coming to Congress – Colorado’s Third Congressional District regularly has the coldest temperatures in the lower 48 states each winter. Under the new funding, the average grant would increase from $355 to $550 and over 2 million new families would receive assistance.
“I firmly believe now is the worst time – when wages are down and more Americans are struggling to pay their bills – to cut assistance for those who need it most. I am pleased my colleagues and I were able to reverse the President’s cuts and secure an additional $2.5 billion to help Coloradans heat their homes this winter,” said Congressman Salazar. “Thousands of Coloradans rely on the LEAP program each year to help pay their heating bills and keep their power turned on. This is a great relief across the state of Colorado as we head into winter.”
Energy officials are concerned that high heating prices will create a humanitarian crisis as millions of families can’t afford to pay their utility bills – a problem that is exacerbated throughout Colorado’s small mountain communities where the winters are long and harsh. Heating oil prices are expected to exceed $4.60 per-gallon this winter, setting records for the cost to heat a home.
“It has been my mission since coming to Congress to help my colleagues understand our harsh winter’s in Western Colorado,” said Salazar. “Colorado is one of the chief beneficiaries of the LEAP program and this increase will help families throughout the state.”
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