Funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program(LIHEAP) is up in the air again with a Senate committeereauthorizing funding through 2004 and a House subcommittee votingto zero out 1999 fiscal year funding for the program. Rallying forLIHEAP’s continuation is the American Gas Association. “Thisunanimous [Senate] committee vote demonstrates the depth of supportthat LIHEAP has in the Senate. In fact, several senators at themarkup expressed their dismay about the House subcommittee actionto eliminate program funding,” said Steve Crout, AGA director ofgovernment relations. “We intend to fight hard to restore the ’99funding for LIHEAP, and today’s action shows that we can count onstrong support from the Senate.”

The reauthorization bill cleared by the Senate Labor and HumanResources Committee reauthorizes LIHEAP at the current level of $2billion annually for fiscal years 1999-2004, provides flexibilityfor the release of emergency funds for fiscal years 1999-2004, andprovides additional technical assistance for the Department ofHuman Health and Services.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and HumanServices and Education voted to eliminate funds for LIHEAP duringconsideration of fiscal year 1999 funding for the U.S. Departmentof Health and Human Services. For 1998, Congress appropriated $1billion for LIHEAP, which reversed a decade-long trend in decliningappropriations for the program. Between 1985 and 1995, funding forthe program decreased from $2.1 billion to $1.2 billion.

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