Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress, Senator Peter Welch, is urging Congress to establish a temporary windfall profit tax on oil companies. The revenues generated would fully fund the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) of Vermont and all fifty states.

Due to the sharp increase in cost of oil, Vermonters and others across the nation will pay record high prices to heat their homes this winter. The average heating bill for a Vermonter this heating season will be $2,200.00, about triple what it was only three years ago. Increasing numbers of Vermonters will be forced to make difficult choices with limited resources, some having to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table.

To help ease the burden, states like Vermont are looking for ways to increase funding for LIHEAP to make sure Vermonters do not freeze in the winter. "The Congressional record on LIHEAP has been deplorable," Welch said. For 2005, Congress appropriated $2.2 billion which would cover only 15% of the 35 million households that could benefit from LIHEAP.

In a pattern that has shown itself repeatedly during the Bush administration, states like Vermont are left with the burden of cutting important programs or imposing on already over stretched state taxpayers. Vermont has already had to deal with federal shortfalls in funding for Medicaid, No Child Left Behind and Special Education, among others.

"Rather than dump this problem on the states, a common sense, relatively painless solution is available to avert the home heating crisis. I am calling on the Congressional leadership to support a windfall profits tax on the oil industry to fund the LIHEAP program," said Welch.

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. Meanwhile, these same companies have received billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies. "A temporary $1.00 per barrel tax on oil company profits would fully fund LIHEAP at last year,s levels in just 64 days," Welch explained.

The crisis Vermonters face in affording home heating oil reflects the Republican leadership,s failure to have a coherent policy in the Middle East, a national energy strategy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil, and the failure of the government to curb profiteering in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. A windfall profits tax to fund LIHEAP would be a start in the right direction.

Welch said, "The Republican leadership has demonstrated clear support for the oil industry. But where is their support for our most vulnerable citizens when they need help? Strong leaders aren,t afraid to ask those who have benefited much to give a little back."