John Joseph Moakley: “Mr. Speaker, today I am standing here on behalf of the thousands upon thousands of Americans who rely on the LIHEAP…”

“Mr. Speaker, today I am standing here on behalf of the thousands upon thousands of Americans who rely on the LIHEAP program to help heat their homes in the winter and cool them in the summer. As we celebrate an end to the budget deficit for the first time in years, these people are still wondering how they will keep their children warm this winter, and that, Mr. Speaker, is just plain wrong. It is wrong to force people to choose between putting food on the table and heating their homes when the temperature outside is below zero. And it is not only limited to the cold climate, Mr. Speaker. During the heat wave that swept through the south this summer, over $100 million in LIHEAP funds were released to help the most vulnerable people suffering from those high temperatures. Given how important this program is, given that it saves so many lives, and given the benefits that stretch from Maine to Mississippi, I am very disappointed that the Committee on Appropriations has decided to eliminate this program entirely.”