Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress, Senator Peter Welch, is calling the end of session cuts by Congress to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) "deplorable."

Last week, the Republican controlled Congress stripped $2 billion in home-heating assistance from the budget. Overall, LIHEAP funding was cut by 1 percent over last year, despite a projected demand for the program as high as $5.2 billion and fuel prices up 35 percent higher than last year.

"The heating assistance needed by low income Vermonters and Americans is immediate and real. This Congress has shown yet again that it is out of touch with the priorities of average Americans. It has shown yet again an unwillingness to pursue common sense solutions that would alleviate avoidable suffering among those in need," said Welch.

The New York Times wrote yesterday, "One of the shabbiest shell games of the year was played out in the closing hours of Congress in its now-you-see-it, now-you-don,t offering of some badly needed winter heating aid to the nation,s working poor" (Dec. 25, 2005). Reportedly, angry House Republicans and lead Senate negotiator, Sen. Ted Sevens (R-Alaska), stripped fuel assistance funds in retaliation for losing their goal of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

In October, Welch urged Congress to establish a temporary $1 per day windfall profit tax on oil companies. The revenues generated would fully fund LIHEAP in Vermont and all fifty states.

In the past three years, as the price of a barrel of oil has skyrocketed to $60, the major oil companies have enjoyed profits of $125 billion. ExxonMobil reported a record $9.9 billion profit last quarter alone. Meanwhile, these same companies have received billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies. "A temporary $1 per barrel tax on oil company profits would fully fund LIHEAP in just 64 days," Welch explained.

The average heating bill for a Vermonter this heating season will be approximately $2,200.00, about triple the cost only three years ago.

"It is unacceptable that Congress,s misguided priorities will cause Vermont,s working poor to make difficult choices with limited resources, some having to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table," said Welch.

"Last week,s actions by Republican leaders in Congress clearly reveal once again where their priorities are," concluded Welch. "They cut student aid, Medicaid, and now heating assistance for low income Americans, all to set the stage for more tax cuts for the wealthy when they return to Washington in January. What Congress did was wrong for Vermont and wrong for America."