Minnesota Session Laws - 1990, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1990 

                       RESOLUTION 7-S.F.No. 1973 
 A resolution memorializing the President and Congress 
to reauthorize the low-income home energy assistance 
program and to increase its appropriation for fiscal 
year 1991 and subsequent years. 
    WHEREAS, in 1981, Congress enacted the low-income home 
energy assistance program to provide funds to low-income 
Americans to help them pay for the costs of energy to heat their 
homes; and 
    WHEREAS, authorization for the program will expire in 1990 
and, in order for the federal government to continue to provide 
assistance to low-income families for their energy needs, the 
program must be reauthorized by Congress this year; and 
    WHEREAS, from 1986 to the present, the funding level for 
the program has been reduced by more than $600 million to a 
level of $1.393 billion, while eligibility for the program has 
been expanded to include energy assistance for household 
cooling, resulting in great financial hardship for many 
low-income Americans in cold weather states; and 
    WHEREAS, Minnesota received $82,239,180 in appropriated 
funding in fiscal year 1984, which provided 139,573 households 
with energy assistance averaging $465 per household, but by 
fiscal year 1989, this appropriation had declined to an 
estimated $54,861,723, which resulted in average energy 
assistance grants of only $331 being provided to 108,299 
households; and 
    WHEREAS, the President's proposed budget for fiscal year 
1991 calls for a further 25 percent reduction in funding at a 
time when prices for heating oil, natural gas, propane, and 
electricity used for home energy are rising.  This will result 
in reduced availability of energy assistance grants to 
low-income families and, in harsh climates like Minnesota's, 
could result in life-threatening circumstances for low-income 
persons; NOW, THEREFORE, 
    BE IT RESOLVED, by the Legislature of the State of 
Minnesota that Congress should speedily enact legislation 
reauthorizing the low-income home energy assistance program and 
that Congress should increase the appropriation to $2.3 billion, 
the level of funding authorized in fiscal year 1990, and that 
appropriations in subsequent years should be increased by at 
least the rate of inflation. 
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President should support 
and sign into law legislation enacted by Congress reauthorizing 
the low-income home energy assistance program and appropriating 
sufficient funds to provide for the current and future home 
energy needs of low-income Americans. 
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State of 
Minnesota shall transmit copies of this resolution to the 
President of the United States, the President and the Secretary 
of the Senate of the United States, the Speaker and the Clerk of 
the House of Representatives of the United States, and to 
Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress. 
    Presented to the governor April 26, 1990 
    Signed by the governor May 3, 1990, 5:16 p.m.