Susan Collins: “Mr. President, Senator Jack Reed and I have offered an amendment that provides for the immediate release of $300 million…”

“Mr. President, Senator Jack Reed and I have offered an amendment that provides for the immediate release of $300 million in funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP. I thank the chair and ranking member of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Senators Specter and Harkin, for their efforts in support of this critical program. Despite the extremely difficult fiscal constraints facing our Nation, Senators Specter and Harkin have managed to provide $1.7 billion in regular-year LIHEAP funds in the Omnibus Appropriations Act. This is $300 million more than the administration's request. Unfortunately, while the bill before us provides more regular LIHEAP funds than the administration requested, the total funding, which includes both regular funding and emergency funding, is considerably less than was provided in fiscal year 2002. In fact, total LIHEAP funding in this bill falls $300 million below the total funding provided in fiscal year 2002.”