HR0858 LRB094 19268 HSS 54891 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The LIHEAP program is a federal program
3 administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and
4 Family Services to help low income households pay for home
5 heating and cooling bills and to reduce energy consumption; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Approximately $150 million is dedicated to home
7 heating grants, with remaining funds of $50 million used for
8 weatherization, summer cooling programs, and other energy
9 assistance initiatives; and
 
10     WHEREAS, In Fiscal Year 2005, more than $155 million was
11 granted to over 342,000 households for winter heating needs;
12 and
 
13     WHEREAS, This winter the Department of Healthcare and
14 Family Services hopes to provide assistance to 315,500
15 households; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The service target for this winter season is only
17 40% of eligible households, and nearly 474,000 households will
18 go without assistance; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The spending authority for the FY 2006 program
20 remains at the same level that was in place for FY 2005; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The U.S. Energy Information Administration
22 announced that Americans nationwide should be prepared to pay
23 up to 48% more on home heating costs this winter; therefore, in
24 light of rising energy prices, funding at the same level year
25 after year is not sufficient; and
 
26     WHEREAS, Estimates for the current fiscal year indicate
27 that the State will collect $1 billion in revenue from all
28 public utility taxes, and by diverting 2% of those tax dollars

 

 

HR0858 - 2 - LRB094 19268 HSS 54891 r

1 to the LIHEAP program, the State would generate a consistent
2 funding stream of at least $20 million; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5 we urge the Governor, in cooperation with the Department of
6 Healthcare and Family Services, to increase State funding for
7 the LIHEAP program in order to provide assistance to more of
8 the households in need; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10 delivered to Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Director of
11 Healthcare and Family Services.