FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 9, 2007

For more information, contact: Robert Baylor 202-466-7200 rbaylor@npga.org

“President Bush, Help Low Income Households Stay Warm!”
NPGA’s Letter To President Bush Urges Compassion And Restoration Of
Slashed Low-Income Heating Program Funds

(WASHINGTON, DC) – President George W. Bush’s FY2008 budget contains many necessary reductions in spending, but one reduction must be reconsidered, said the National Propane Gas Association today.

Many poor Americans using propane to keep warm in today’s frigid temperatures will be affected by the 44% cut in funds proposed for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), if the plan is passed by Congress.

“The unjustified reduction proposed in your budget will leave the states with few choices but to cut services, close the program early, or eliminate funding.  As a result, low income households will have little choice but to decide between heating their homes or having to cut back on food, medicine and other household necessities.  By reducing the funding for LIHEAP, you are reducing not only the overall effectiveness of the program, but also the number of households assisted,” wrote NPGA President and CEO Richard Roldan in an urgent letter sent to President Bush.

Seven million American households use propane in their furnaces for their primary heating source.  An additional 10 million U.S. households use propane to fuel one of their home appliances, such as a water heater or stove.  Many of these households are in rural communities affected by poor economic growth. 

5.6 million households requested LIHEAP assistance in FY2007, according to government statistics.  The president’s LIHEAP request for FY2008 slashes $1.38 billion from the FY2006 appropriations level of $3.2 billion.

Click here for an Adobe PDF copy of the original NPGA letter.

The National Propane Gas Association is the national trade association of the propane industry.   NPGA represents approximately 3,500 companies, including producers, wholesalers, transporters, and retailers of propane gas as well as the manufacturers and distributors of associated propane equipment and appliances.

50 million Americans choose propane as an energy source for their homes or businesses.   For more information about NPGA and the propane gas industry, visit NPGA on the Internet at www.npga.org.

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07-02