Jack Reed

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to return to amendment No. 2194, as modified.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be laid aside, and I further ask unanimous consent to call up amendment No. 2194 that is pending at the desk.

Mr. REED. The editorial says that our congressional priorities are skewed, and I agree. As the editorial points out, Members of Congress are continuing an unrelenting drive to pass $70 billion in new cuts this fall in taxes, most of them for wealthy investors, and to cut $35 billion in spending, mostly in programs that benefit the poor. The vulnerable people need to keep the heat on to keep from getting sick, becoming homeless, or worse. Because of our budget rules, we are prevented from getting a straight up-or-down majority vote on our amendment to provide assistance to seniors, low-income working families, and disabled individuals. This amendment will ensure that they will be protected from the ravages of the cold this winter: aid that will ensure children will not become ill or malnourished, aid that will ensure families do not resort to hazardous means of heating that can cause fires. Unfortunately and regrettably, every heating season there is a terrible incident where some poor person decides their stove can provide them some heat, and they leave it on, causing a fire with tragic consequences. I hope that will not be the case this year. If we don't provide support for these families, they have very little choice in many cases, other than to improvised heat, and that often leads to tragedy. As the New York Times editorial states: Heating aid for the needy is a matter of common decency. Is our memory so short that we have forgotten the pledge we made to low-income families after Hurricane Katrina to address the economic disparity in our Nation that literally leaves many out in the cold or in the dark? Rising energy prices could financially wipe out working-class families and seniors this winter. Energy costs for the average family using heating oil are estimated to hit $1,600 this winter, an increase of $380 over last winter's heating season. For families using natural gas, prices could hit about $1,400, an increase of $500. For families using propane, prices are projected to hit $1,400, an increase of about $325. For families living in poverty, energy bills are now over 20 percent of their income compared to 5 percent of the income of other households, more affluent households. In America, no one should be forced to choose between heating or eating. No senior citizen should be forced to choose between buying necessary pharmaceuticals and keeping the heat up. But unfortunately, low-income working Americans are facing these decisions each day, and they will become more dire and more consequential as the winter approaches. The heat-or-eat dilemma is a real one for poor families. A study by the RAND Corporation found that low-income households reduce food expenditures by roughly the same amount as their increase in heating expenditures. That is an awful tradeoff, one that I don't think any American would like to see take place. The Social Security Administration recently announced its cost-of- living adjustment for 2006 for seniors. The COLA is about a $65-per- month increase for the average retired couple. But with this winter's energy prices, that increase will be wiped out in an instant. So we have to do better. Even at a funding level of $5.1 billion, LIHEAP would still only serve about one-seventh of the 35 million households that are poor enough to qualify for assistance. So we are just talking about serving the very neediest in our community. This is a program that, frankly, could use many more dollars to serve every qualified individual. We are just reaching the neediest among us. If we don't pass this appropriations, we won't even reach those individuals. I urge all my colleagues to join us to secure $2.9 billion in additional LIHEAP funding and pass this amendment. I urge an up-or-down vote on the amendment. As a nation, we must step back and evaluate our priorities. American families are facing an energy emergency. If we can find money for tax cuts, then we can find funds for LIHEAP. Now is not the time to sacrifice the health and safety of American families. We must prioritize, and the priorities start with providing affordable energy to low-income and middle-class Americans as they struggle with extraordinary increases in prices and the looming cold of this winter. I am pleased and proud to be joined in this effort by my colleague from Maine, Senator Collins. I yield the floor.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to modify my amendment No. 2194. I am told I do not need consent.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to add Senator Byrd to amendment No. 2194.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to add Senators Dodd and DeWine as cosponsors.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, last week Senator Collins and I came to the floor to offer an amendment on the Transportation-Treasury appropriations bill to increase funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, more commonly known as LIHEAP. We would have increased the appropriations to the authorized amount of $5.1 billion. With Senator Collins' support, and with the help of 53 other Senators, we came forward to make a statement that in this cold winter that is approaching, with soaring energy prices, Americans needed help and we could do better. Fifty-three Senators, Democrats and Republicans, northerners and southerners, east coasters and west coasters supported our amendment when it came to a vote. But it failed to pass because of a procedural need to acquire 60 votes. We, joined by 30 of our colleagues, are here again today to offer our amendment to the Labor- HHS appropriations bill. Our amendment provides $2.92 billion in emergency spending for the LIHEAP program. This amount, coupled with the $2.18 billion in the Labor-HHS appropriations bill, will fully fund LIHEAP at the authorized level of $5.1 billion, a level authorized by this Congress and signed into law by the President just 3 months ago. At this level, LIHEAP will cover the full increase in recipients' heating costs so they would not be forced to pay more out of their very limited budgets for this winter's heating season. It is imperative that this appropriations bill provide additional resources to the LIHEAP program so families are safe and warm this winter. As we speak, there is a storm raging in the Northeast in New England. We expect in some parts of the region to have snow this evening. Winter is coming. It is coming with a particular ferocity at this moment. But something else is already happening: Rising energy prices, extraordinary increases in energy prices, much of it as a result of Hurricane Katrina that struck the gulf coast area. As I have said before, the first surge was high water that overwhelmed low-income people in New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama and other cities along the gulf coast. The second surge is high energy prices which are about to overwhelm many individuals in the Northeast and the Midwest and throughout this country where the temperatures begin to fall as they do this time of year. We have to do more to protect these people because we know it is coming. One of the lessons from Katrina is that we understand that there are people who are vulnerable, and they have to be protected before the storm hits, not afterwards. This is an opportunity to do that for people throughout this country who are vulnerable this winter to rising energy prices and falling temperatures. I particularly thank Senators Specter and Harkin for their strong support of the LIHEAP program. I realize the difficult choices they faced this year in determining spending limits for the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. I appreciate their support for this amendment to add emergency spending for LIHEAP. On Saturday, the New York Times printed an editorial titled ``Washington's Cold Shoulder.'' I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the editorial be printed in the Record.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the privilege of the floor be granted to Ari Strauss, who is legislative director of the Northeast-Midwest Coalition, for the duration of the debate on the LIHEAP amendment.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask the time be charged to each side.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I understand that the Senator from Missouri made a motion under the Congressional Budget Act 1974. I move to waive the applicable sections of the act, for the consideration of the pending amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. REED. I have no objection.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, who would that time be charged to?

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Iowa for his eloquent and, to me, very persuasive remarks about the need for supporting this amendment. This is something we know is going to happen. Everyone understands energy prices are soaring out of sight. Last year, we did not have sufficient resources for LIHEAP with prices that were much cheaper. This year we know we are not going to have sufficient resources. So we have come together on a bipartisan basis. Senator Collins, Senator Snowe, Senator Smith, Senator Coleman--many of my Democratic colleagues have come together to do what should be obvious to all of us: raise the level of LIHEAP funding to accommodate these huge increases in prices. It is very simple, I think--I hope. I hope we are in a process of beginning to understand all of the demands that are being placed on low-income Americans, and particularly seniors. They received the Social Security increase of about $65 a month. Most of that was taken up automatically by increased payments to their Medicare Program, and whatever little is left is going to be swallowed up by these rising energy prices. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program needs $5.1 billion just to maintain the status quo. The appropriation to date, what the President supports, is $2 billion. Now, $2 billion was inadequate last year; it is grossly inadequate this year. I understand our colleague, the Senator from Missouri, has indicated in terms of concept of the program he supports it, and I appreciate those remarks. We might have a debate about whether this is the appropriate vehicle to place this amendment, but, frankly, time is running out; floor time is running out, and unless we are able to appropriate these funds immediately, we are going to have a real issue of getting them to deserving people throughout this country. Last winter Congress provided $2.2 billion. Again this year they have already cut that in the budget to $2 billion. That is the administration's request. It was insufficient last year. In Rhode Island, 12,146 households, including the elderly, received utility termination notices. The average balance of those who were disconnected was over $1,000. Today, my State and other States are struggling to get these people reconnected using LIHEAP funds to get them back on the utility grid. That is even before we have had the first cold days of winter. A Rhode Islander receiving $400 from LIHEAP last year could buy approximately 235 gallons of heating oil, almost a full tank, but at $2.60 a gallon, which is the price that is being paid today--in fact, in many cases that is a pretty good price; in fact, it is much higher-- $400 will only buy 150 gallons of oil. That is a little over half a tank and may last in a very cold New England winter about 2\1/2\ weeks. This year, with even higher energy prices facing Americans and more Americans living in poverty, the administration and the House have simply come forward with $2 billion. It is absolutely inadequate. We know it. We have an opportunity today to make it so that at least it will buy as much this year as it did last winter. The average price for heating oil is $2.65 per gallon. That is 65 cents higher than it was last year this time. The average price of propane is $1.95 per gallon. That is 32 cents higher than last year. The average price for natural gas is $15.25 per million cubic feet. That is $2.32 higher than last year. What we have seen consistently, what we all recognize, what we see every day when we pass the gasoline station, is extraordinarily high energy prices. How can we reasonably fund this program with less dollars than we did last year with these soaring prices? We are just trying to maintain what we have. Frankly, last year a significant number of households that would qualify because of income could not receive assistance because those funds were insufficient. I believe we have to increase the LIHEAP funding to its fully authorized level of $5.1 billion. This bipartisan amendment would do that by increasing the appropriation by the sum of $3.1 billion. I hope my colleagues will join us and support this amendment. I reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I will make a few additional comments in the remaining time with respect to the LIHEAP program and this legislation. This is a very simple amendment. It adds $3.1 billion. It would bring it up to the level that was authorized in the Energy bill which we considered on this floor several weeks ago, recognizing the authorization levels had to be raised given the increase in prices, given the need for more Americans to access the LIHEAP program. The energy costs to the average family using heating oil this winter are estimated to hit about $1,500, and that is a significant increase, about $400 over last year. Natural gas could hit over $1,000, an increase of $350. Propane prices are projected to hit $1,400 for the average prices for the whole year of heating, an increase of about $325. This is particularly burdensome for low-income families and families in poverty. In fact, families who live in poverty spend over 20 percent of their income on heat. That is in contrast to other families, middle- and upper-income families who spend about 5 percent during a heating season. So this is a huge impact, in fact, a more aggravated impact, on low-income Americans. Frankly, the choice for many seniors is very stark: to heat or to eat. A RAND study pointed out that low-income households reduce their food expenditures by roughly the same amount as their increases in fuel expenditures. They cut back on eating to heat their homes. It doesn't take a RAND study to suggest why that is the case. It is hard for a senior or for anyone who lives in a home where the temperature is 50 or 45 degrees. You can put on sweaters and extra blankets but at some point you have to keep the energy flowing as best you can. They will, in fact, as the studies indicate, avoid eating to heat their homes. Our LIHEAP program in Rhode Island, as so many programs across the country, is under tremendous stress and strain. Last year they served 26,000 families, but if the President's proposal goes through with $2 billion, they will only be able to service about 21,000 families. So 5,000 families will not get anything; 21,000 families lucky enough to qualify will receive resources, but it will be not as adequate as it was last year to buy heating oil, particularly because the price has gone up so much. So it is again a situation I find difficult to understand, why we cannot summon the will to do something which is so obviously necessary. This is no innovative program. This is no controversial program. I dare say everyone on this floor would say it is a good program, it makes sense, it helps people who need help, particularly at a time when prices are surging as they are. Yet I hope we can come together and recognize we need something more than words. We actually need the appropriations to help keep these people whole, keep them, literally, warm this winter. We have all been out to our communities. We have all visited with seniors. I visited with a senior from Rhode Island, a veteran of the U.S. military who is 88 years old--part of that great generation of World War II. He receives LIHEAP support. Frankly, this year even if he receives the same amount of money, it will not buy the same amount of fuel oil and it will be colder in his home. As has been said so often on this floor, and it has to be repeated, we can do much better. We could do much better for an 88-year-old veteran of the U.S. military forces who last year got a little help and this year will get less help. We can do better and we should do better. We need to fully fund LIHEAP up to the authorized level of $5.1 billion. I think we have to do more, going forward on other energy projects. But let's at least begin with adequately funding the LIHEAP Program. I hope my colleagues will join my cosponsors, Senator Collins, Senator Snowe, Senator Smith, Senator Coleman on the Republican side, and many others on the Democratic side to ensure that this amendment is passed and we can at least guarantee minimum warmth for our seniors and low-income families across this country. With that, I reserve the remainder of my time. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. I ask unanimous consent the time be divided equally between both sides.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask how much remains of my time.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Reclaiming the floor, I ask how long the Senator from Montana might speak?

Mr. REED. I also ask unanimous consent Senator Dodd be added as a cosponsor to the amendment.

Mr. REED. I further ask unanimous consent that Senator Nelson of Florida be added as an original cosponsor of amendment No. 2113.

Mr. REED. Madam President, the topic of this amendment is increasing the funds available for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP. We are about to see a second tidal surge from Katrina and Rita; it is not rising waters, it is rising energy prices, and those rising prices are going to break with ferocity on people all over this country, particularly those individuals who live in States that are going to see a cold winter, which is beginning shortly. Low-income Americans are going to be faced with extraordinary challenges in meeting their energy bills this winter. We have already seen huge increases in prices of heating oil, natural gas, and propane. We understand, without some further assistance, we will be in a very precarious position, and these families will be in a distressed position. I particularly thank Senator Collins, Senator Snowe, Senator Coleman, and Senator Smith for their bipartisan leadership on this amendment--particularly Senator Collins--for joining me in this effort. She has been a stalwart over several Congresses with respect to supporting the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. We are reaching across the aisle and across the country to provide more assistance to the LIHEAP program. We offer this amendment with 30 cosponsors. It is bipartisan, stretching across the length and breadth of this country. It seeks to add $3.1 billion to the HUD appropriations bill in emergency energy assistance. Energy costs for the average family using heating oil are estimated to hit $1,577 this winter, an increase of $378 over last winter's heating season. For families using natural gas, prices could hit $1,099 this winter heating season, an increase of $354. Families using propane can see heating costs on average this heating season to be approximately $1,400. That is another increase of $300. For families living in poverty, energy bills now are approximately 20 percent of their income compared to 5 percent for other households. Unless we take action now, we are going to see families in this country, low-income working families, families struggling with the issue of poverty, seniors who are living on fixed incomes being devastated.

Mr. REED. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the pending amendment be set aside and further ask unanimous consent to call up amendment No. 2077, pending at the desk.

Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. REED. I am prepared to yield. My colleague from Maine is here to speak.