DeLauro Praises New Home Heating Assistance Report

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today released the following statement in response to the 2009 National Energy Assistance Survey released today. The annual survey examines how many families received help through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in paying their winter heating bills. It also examines how an increase in Congressional funding impacted these families.

At the request of Congresswoman DeLauro, the report also examines Connecticut's home heating assistance rates. From her seat on the Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee, Congresswoman DeLauro has long been a champion of LIHEAP and helped to double its funding to $5.1 billion in 2008. The report confirms that due to the doubling of Congressional funding, the number of households who experienced problems in sufficiently heating their homes for the winter did not increase.

Congresswoman DeLauro said, "This report clearly shows the impact an increase in funding has had on families across the country and at home in Connecticut. This past winter was a tough one, as the combination of unseasonably cold weather and the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression has left millions of families struggling.

"Despite these hardships, the number of families who needed assistance did not rise from last year, and I am proud to see that this is a direct result of the funding Congress provided. I believe that the government has a moral obligation to make certain our most vulnerable citizens are cared for, and providing assistance during a home heating crisis is a simple matter of values. I urge my colleagues to learn from this report, and to continue to fund the essential LIHEAP program."