Sean Patrick Maloney: “OPEC and the U.S. Energy Department delivered another blow to financially strained American consumers Monday when they…”

“OPEC and the U.S. Energy Department delivered another blow to financially strained American consumers Monday when they announced that high energy prices are here to stay. During a meeting in Kuwait, OPEC members said they may cut production of oil, increasing prices here in the U.S. At the same time, U.S. Federal energy forecasters projected the current high gas prices will last until at least 2014. This news comes at a devastating time for millions of families currently struggling to pay mounting home heating costs. The onset of bitterly cold winter weather in New York City and across this Nation means that many people will have to make difficult sacrifices to afford these added expenses; and yet, Republican leaders in this body recently passed legislation that provides billions of dollars in financial assistance to energy companies, while cutting vital funds from LIHEAP, the low-income home heating assistance program. Mr. Speaker, this is unconscionable. We should be increasing the LIHEAP funding and assistance and spreading this to the needed families over this holiday season. ____________________”