"The President's budget, Among Other Things, Cuts the Home Heating Program by 14%." - Grayson. Why?

[progressoid]

38. OFFS Even Alan (catfood) Simpson thinks it's a bad idea

LIHEAP
–
The Facts. After many years of underfunding the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Congress funded the program at $5.1 billion in FY2009 and FY2010. Unfortunately, since then, funding for LIHEAP has been cut drastically to $4.7billion in FY2011 and less than $3.5 billion in FY2013. This represents a 30 percent decline in funding since 2010.
There are many reasons why we need to provide AT LEAST $4.7 billion this year. Here are just a few:

1.
Poverty is at historic rates: As a result of the economic downtown and the increase in poverty and unemployment, the number of low income households eligible for LIHEAP in 2013 will continue to climb. In fact, the U.S. Census recently reported that 46.2 million people live in poverty, the largest number in the 52 year history of published poverty estimates (The poverty line is $22,113 for a family of four). According to the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association (NEADA), last year LIHEAP provided vital energy assistance to 8.9 million of our country’s most vulnerable households.

2.
Energy burden continues to climb: A recent study found that more than half of U.S. households now devote more than 20 percent of their family budget toward energy costs, nearly double what they spent just ten years ago. Additionally, the energy burden for low income households is much higher often three times more than non low income households. For millions of Americans living on low and fixed incomes, a surging energy burden means less money for other necessities such as food, housing and health care. According to the U.S. Energy Information and Administration (EIA) March 2013 Short Term Energy Outlook, household expenditures this winter for heating oil and natural are projected to increase by 19 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

3.
LIHEAP Supports Veterans and Seniors: According to NEADA, the number of veteran households served by LIHEAP increased by more than 150 percent over three years from about 700,000 in FY 2008 to 1.78 million in FY 2011, which represents an increase from 12 percent of total LIHEAP recipients to 20 percent since 2008. Additionally, roughly 40 percent of the LIHEAP recipients are Seniors. With Social Security benefits increasing by only 1.7 percent this year, or an average of $19 per month, many elderly will be facing difficult decisions.

4.
LIHEAP Helps America’s Most Vulnerable: Under LIHEAP, states set eligibility rates to assist lower income families. Roughly 75% of households that are helped earn <$15,000 and 50% earn <$10,000/year. Virtually all LIHEAP households have a loved one of very modest means who is elderly, disabled, or a child under six.

5.
LIHEAP makes homes safer for children: Infants and toddlers living in inadequately heated or cooled households are at greater risk of serious developmental health problems. According to a February 2011 Children’s Health Watch study, when compared to families that don’t receive LIHEAP, families who received energy assistance were less likely to be at risk for growth problems and less likely to be hospitalized when seeking care for acute medical problems. Additionally, families receiving LIHEAP were 14 percent more likely to be housing secure than families not receiving assistance. Without adequate resources to pay utility bills, vulnerable households may resort to unsafe and dangerous heating sources such as ovens and space heaters.

6.
Cutting LIHEAP is not the way to balance the budget: While tough decisions need to be made to help us reduce our nation's overall debt, LIHEAP is an essential program that is meeting the basic needs our most vulnerable population. Alan Simpson, Co-Chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, testified to the Senate Budget Committee that he would not support the 50 percent reduction to LIHEAP to help reduce the deficit. That sentiment was shared by respondents to a February 2011 NBC/WSJ poll. When asked if they would cut “heating assistance to low income families” to help reduce the current federal budget deficit, a majority (65 percent) of respondents indicated that a cut to LIHEAP is “unacceptable.”