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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release December 30, 2000

President Clinton Offers Home Heating Assistance

President Clinton today directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release $300 million in Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) emergency funds to all States to assist low-income households facing substantial increases in home heating fuel prices.

With today's release of $300 million in LIHEAP emergency funds, the President has directed HHS to release a total of $856 million in LIHEAP emergency funds this winter to help States assist low-income households in coping with high fuel prices during this winter. Today's release of funding is provided for from the FY 2001 Labor, HHS, Education appropriations bill signed by the President on December 21st. In addition to today's release, HHS released $156 million on December 18th and $400 million on September 23rd.

The Department of Energy projects that heating oil prices this winter will be 29 percent higher than last winter, and natural gas prices will be 40 percent higher than last winter. Low-income households are especially burdened by fuel prices increases, forcing many families to forego other essential expenses in order to stay warm during the cold months. Today's LIHEAP release will help States continue to meet the needs of these families throughout the winter. In response to the President's urging, many States have adopted higher income eligibility limits in their LIHEAP programs and higher benefit levels in anticipation of greater need for assistance this winter.

Today's release allocates funds to all States, factoring in States' reliance on heating oil, natural gas and propane. The cold weather states of the Northeast and Midwest will receive most of the funds. However, all States will receive some assistance since low-income households throughout the country are experiencing sharp energy price increases. In addition to the nationwide increases in natural gas and fuel oil, in some areas, electricity prices have risen since electricity generation often is fueled by oil or natural gas.

LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating and insulating their homes in the winter and cooling their homes in the summer. This release provides to states all the LIHEAP emergency funds made available under the FY 2001 Labor, HHS, Education appropriations bill.

The state allocations of today's release follow. These amounts include funds that will be provided directly to tribes in these states.

                                      December 28
                     State             Allocation

                     Alabama           $2,429,254
                     Alaska            $1,573,057
                     Arizona           $1,047,485
                     Arkansas          $1,867,029
                     California       $13,785,570
                     Colorado          $4,937,929
                     Connecticut       $6,570,199
                     Delaware            $843,643
                     Dist. of Col.       $967,148
                     Florida           $2,760,626
                     Georgia           $3,126,957
                     Hawaii              $177,792
                     Idaho             $1,439,457
                     Illinois         $18,540,822
                     Indiana           $8,019,030
                     Iowa              $5,873,400
                     Kansas            $2,732,268
                     Kentucky          $3,558,555
                     Louisiana         $2,465,595
                     Maine             $4,006,710
                     Maryland          $4,768,353
                     Massachusetts    $13,056,895
                     Michigan         $18,053,096
                     Minnesota        $12,195,356
                     Mississippi       $2,112,807
                     Missouri          $6,885,039
                     Montana           $2,048,914
                     Nebraska          $2,923,433
                     Nevada              $487,986
                     New Hampshire     $2,406,536
                     New Jersey       $12,678,060
                     New Mexico        $1,598,317
                     New York         $41,136,079
                     North Carolina    $4,969,416
                     North Dakota      $2,274,696
                     Ohio             $15,877,753
                     Oklahoma          $2,378,196
                     Oregon            $2,631,108
                     Pennsylvania     $21,398,650
                     Rhode Island      $2,247,960
                     South Carolina    $1,803,859
                     South Dakota      $1,913,717
                     Tennessee         $3,152,012
                     Texas             $6,302,398
                     Utah              $2,355,698
                     Vermont           $1,743,008
                     Virginia          $5,049,365
                     Washington        $4,160,385
                     West Virginia     $2,447,391
                     Wisconsin        $11,123,552
                     Wyoming             $894,297
                     Territories         $203,142

                         TOTAL       $300,000,000

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