David Obey: “Yes, I do, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the last motion sought to increase funding for the Low Income Heating Assistance…”

“Yes, I do, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the last motion sought to increase funding for the Low Income Heating Assistance Program by $2 billion and fully pay for that with an offset on the revenue side of the ledger. The gentleman from Ohio did raise a point of order against that. We would have preferred to fully fund the amendment, but given the fact that the majority has chosen to exercise its rights under the rules of the House to raise a point of order, this is the only remaining avenue that we have to try to increase funding for Low Income Heating Assistance, recognizing that there is indeed an emergency; and we would simply ask that the amount of money for Low Income Heating Assistance be increased by $2 billion and recognized as emergency funding under the Budget Act so that we can proceed to deal with the very real problem that persons in this country will have heating their homes with higher energy prices. If we are not allowed to do that, then there is no way that we are going to be able to provide substantial help to them. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair is prepared to rule on the point of order. As in the previous motion, the proposed instructions exceed the scope of conference. The point of order is sustained.”