PRINTER'S NO. 810
No. 125 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BISHOP, CAPPELLI,
COY, CRUZ, CURRY, DALLY, DeWEESE, HERMAN, JAMES, JOSEPHS,
KOTIK, LaGROTTA, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN,
McILHATTAN, MUNDY, READSHAW, RUBLEY, RUFFING, SOLOBAY,
STABACK, STURLA, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, WHEATLEY, WOJNAROSKI,
YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK AND SAINATO, MARCH 6, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
MARCH 6, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President of the United States and
2 Pennsylvania's Congressional Delegation to immediately
3 support an emergency supplemental appropriation for heating
4 assistance.
5 WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
6 Pennsylvania passed House Resolution 19 on January 28, 2003, by
7 a 198-0 vote, calling upon the President and Pennsylvania's
8 Congressional Delegation for additional Low Income Home Energy
9 Assistance Program funds; and
10 WHEREAS, House Resolution 19 specifically calls upon the
11 President and Congress to consider special emergency funding if
12 the cold spell continues; and
13 WHEREAS, In the past month many parts of Pennsylvania
14 suffered from one of the largest snowstorms in the past 100
15 years along with below-freezing temperatures almost every day in
16 every region of this Commonwealth; and
1 WHEREAS, February averages from meteorological stations
2 around this Commonwealth present temperature readings at least
3 15% colder than average; and
4 WHEREAS, While energy prices through January were
5 significantly higher than last year, the last few weeks in
6 February have seen massive energy price spikes, including oil
7 futures above $40 a barrel, heating oil prices breaking records
8 reaching back to the energy crisis of 1979 and natural gas
9 prices rising 500% above last year's average; and
10 WHEREAS, There is a significant possibility that there will
11 be more uncertainty and price increases for the price of energy
12 over the next several weeks; and
13 WHEREAS, Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians are now at
14 risk for utility shutoffs when the winter moratorium on utility
15 terminations ends on March 31, 2003; and
16 WHEREAS, While Pennsylvania has received up to 20% more in
17 heating assistance funds than last year, winter heating costs
18 for many Pennsylvanians are now projected to increase 50% or
19 much higher; therefore be it
20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
21 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the President of the
22 United States and Pennsylvania's Congressional Delegation to
23 immediately support an emergency supplemental appropriation for
24 heating assistance; and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
26 the President of the United States and to each member of
27 Congress from Pennsylvania.
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