COLLINS SEEKS MORE DOLLARS FOR LOW INCOME HEATING ASSISTANCE

WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Susan Collins is leading a bipartisan effort in the US Senate to help more low-income families in Maine and throughout the nation afford to heat their homes this winter. Senator Collins, along with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) who co chair the Northeast/Midwest Coalition, have sent a letter to President Bush asking that additional funds be released through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help families who have been hard hit by the extraordinarily cold temperatures and slow economic recovery. Release of additional funds would result in about $3 million more LIHEAP dollars for Maine families.

Temperatures in Maine have dipped to some of the lowest levels in decades, creating potentially deadly conditions for families who may already be struggling to afford to heat their homes. Senator Collins said that LIHEAP provides a "vital safety net for Maine's low-income families."

"Northeast states are experiencing freezing cold temperatures that threaten the health and safety of residents. This bitter cold is accompanied by extremely dangerous wind chills," explained the Senators in their request to President Bush.

"For many low-income families, disabled individuals and senior citizens living on fixed incomes, home energy costs are unaffordable. In addition, many states are receiving an increased number of LIHEAP applications this winter due to high energy prices and slow economic recovery in parts of our country. Additional LIHEAP funding is needed immediately to ensure that states have the resources to support their energy assistance programs," wrote the Senators.

It was recently reported that LIHEAP applications in Maine were up by 20 percent.

Specifically, the Senators are requesting that a total of $100 million for the program be released immediately, which would result in about $3 million for the state of Maine. The request letter was signed by a bipartisan group of 15 Senators to include Senator Snowe.