Jack Reed: “I respect immensely the Senator from Pennsylvania and the Senator from Iowa who tried to take a budget that is…”

“I respect immensely the Senator from Pennsylvania and the Senator from Iowa who tried to take a budget that is inadequate and fulfill many programs. But I strenuously object to the classification of LIHEAP in this way as an emergency program. There are two components of LIHEAP. This is a program that has been appropriated for years and years and has built up a locked-in structure in every State to go ahead and solicit applications and to process the applications. They have to have some sense that this program is going to be in place, not depending upon our Presidential emergency declaration at some time in the year. There is another component which is emergency. That is additional funds. But we are creating bad policy and bad precedent. There are a number of programs in this Labor-HHS bill that could also been declared emergencies. We have a children's vaccination program that provides vaccines. The States have offices that have to deal with it. They have to predictably know they are going to have these funds. This is bad policy and bad precedent. It is being forced because the budget is inaccurate. I think it is a desperate moment to do this. It would send a terrible signal to people throughout this country and State and local community agencies that are dedicated to this program that they can no longer depend upon the formula for LIHEAP funds which they have been now for almost 20 years. I hope my colleagues will reject this proposal. I yield the floor.…”