Arlen Specter: “the program for low-income home energy assistance is a vital program. Pennsylvania, my State, compares about the same as…”

“the program for low-income home energy assistance is a vital program. Pennsylvania, my State, compares about the same as the State of the Senator from Rhode Island in terms of weather. It gets very cold. I am well aware of the fact that for many people, especially seniors, it is a matter of heat or eat. Since I have been on the subcommittee, we have made enormous progress in increasing the funding for LIHEAP. I thank the Senator from Rhode Island for noting the allocation which Senator Harkin, the ranking member, and I had put in at $2 billion. When the Senator from Rhode Island cites statistics on the number of people who will not be covered, it is true. If his amendment is adopted, there will be some people who won't be covered. If a vastly increased sum of money were added, we would simply have to make the allocations. We had an allocation last year of $1.7 billion with a $300 million amount in the contingency fund. This year the Senator from Iowa, Senator Harkin, and I decided to put the full $2 billion in the main account so you wouldn't have to get the contingency to activate those expenditures. I would like very much to have more money in this account. I fought hard on the budget resolution for more money for this subcommittee. If we had more money, nothing would give me greater pleasure. I don't think I have voted against any increase in funding for LIHEAP in the time I have been in the Senate.”