House Journal: Page 338: Wednesday, February 7, 2001
The motion prevailed and the resolution was adopted.
IMMEDIATE MESSAGE
Rants of Woodbury asked and received unanimous consent that
Senate Concurrent Resolution 6 be immediately messaged to the
Senate.
MOTION TO RECONSIDER
(Senate Concurrent Resolution 5)
I move to reconsider the vote by which Senate Concurrent
Resolution 5 passed the House on February 7, 2001.
HUSER of Polk
GOVERNOR'S ITEM VETO MESSAGE
A copy of the following communication was received and placed on
file:
February 6, 2001
Dear President Kramer:
I hereby transmit Senate File 65, an Act providing supplemental funding for the
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the current fiscal year.
As energy prices nationwide began to skyrocket this past winter and the weather
conditions continued to become more severe, I called on the federal government to
provide adequate funding for the LIHEAP program to assist Iowa's most vulnerable
citizens. Following an allocation of over $16 million in federal Emergency Contingency
Awards, the Iowa Division of Community Action Agencies projected the need for an
additional $20 million to maintain the same proportionate level of energy assistance
from LIHEAP as the previous year based on an estimated 20 percent increase in
eligible households applying for assistance. I responded to this need with a $20 million
solution generated from the extension of the energy efficiency charge from natural gas
customers amounting to approximately $1.94 per customer. Unfortunately, the
Republican Legislators rejected this solution, a solution that would have met the needs
of low income Iowans.
Republican Leaders in the Legislature devised a plan that they claimed would
provide $15 million to LIHEAP. However, Senate File 65 approved by the Legislature
authorizes only $13,006,346 in state funding to meet the $20 million need. While the
attempt is less than adequate, I am approving relief totaling $10.5 million for Iowans
who now, more than ever, need relief from their high energy bills.
© 2001 Cornell College and
League of Women Voters of Iowa
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