WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Congressman Bill Shuster introduced legislation to help provide emergency relief to the ongoing propane and home heating fuels shortage throughout Pennsylvania. H.R. 4076, the Home Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation (HHEATT) Act of 2014 will help ensure that propane and fuel supplies are being delivered to consumers as fast as possible throughout the rest of the winter.

In the 9th District, over 9,000 homes directly rely on propane for home heating, but this winter's extreme cold has resulted in such a high level of demand that it has already outpaced supply. While an emergency declaration allowed the Department of Transportation to suspend certain Federal rules, including Hours of Service, this is only a temporary measure since each declaration can only last 30 days at a time.

“With supplies short and prices high, people are struggling to deal with the burden of such a major propane shortage. They need relief, and they need it now,” said Shuster. “This is why I am introducing H.R. 4076, the Home Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation Act of 2014. This bill guarantees an extension of the longer driving hours for tank truck operators carrying propane and other home heating fuels through May 31^st, bringing immediate certainty that these emergency measures will last through this already brutal winter.”

“Across the 9^th District, I’ve heard from constituents who have been impacted by this shortage,” said Shuster. “These people depend on propane for both their homes and businesses, and we must do everything we can to get them the fuel they need for this extreme cold. That is why I am introducing this bill, to speed crucial supplies of propane and heating fuel straight to the people in the 9^th District who need them the most.”

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