May 20, 1975
Page 15344
FUEL BILL ASSISTANCE
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, we have just passed through the second winter of hardships for those who cannot afford the fuel needed to keep their homes heated.
And again, we have done too little to help.
Therefore, I am pleased that we are now considering a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $19 million to assist the poor meet their home heating needs.
Available for the remainder of the fiscal year 1975, these funds can be used by the Director of the Community Services Administration to establish home insulation programs in preparation for another winter.
Even this small first step has been achieved only after months of considerable effort and months of consideration. Last fall, I introduced legislation which would have provided direct financial assistance to low- and moderate-income families who could not afford to pay their fuel bills.
Early this year Senator JAVITS and I and 17 other Senators urged both the President and the Congress to provide this necessary kind of assistance.
Viewed in terms of national need, the sum we are appropriating is modest, to say the least. But it is one step toward a full program, not only for winterization services, but emergency loans and grants, special fuel voucher or stamp programs, transportation, and other supportive assistance as well. I hope such a program will soon be funded.
By passing this appropriation, we are recognizing the immediacy of our task. Using existing authority, we can make use of the summer months for opportunities that otherwise would be lost.
In my home State of Maine, the Office of Economic Opportunity carried out "Project Fuel," that provided direct aid to thousands of low-income families. On a relatively small scale, it demonstrated the large impact and benefits such a program could have nationally.
Using this proven approach, the success of the Mane program could be repeated elsewhere.
Such a program is imperative to ease the suffering of those already suffering other conditions of poverty and unemployment.
According to the final report of the Ford Foundation's energy policy project, low-income Americans spend 15 percent of the family budget on energy compared to 4 percent for the well-to-do. While others can adjust their lifestyle to accommodate the high cost of energy, the poor must make the cruel choices of adequate fuel versus food, clothing, or medical care.
These fellow-citizens deserve our help.