Low-income Energy Assistance. Bill S. 3186 would provide emergency funds of $2.5 billion, nearly doubling the funding, for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. A motion to limit debate on the motion to proceed to the bill was rejected 50-35 (Roll Call 187) on July 26, 2008 in a vote that required the approval of three-fifths of the Senate. Proponents of the funding said it was needed to help people with low income pay for rapidly rising heating and cooling costs.
The funding would have an emergency designation, meaning it is neither paid for from existing funds nor offset by spending reductions in other programs. Thus the cost would be added to the national debt and passed on to future generations. The program still had a $100 million surplus and was expected to be refunded in a continuing resolution, therefore the bill was unnecessary. The bill ignored demands for increasing domestic energy production as a means to restrain rising energy prices.
We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government should stop over-regulating and interfering with the energy industry and get out of the unconstitutional welfare business.
