Today's message from the DSCC.

Senate Republicans Fail Again, Refusing to Address Energy Crisis for New York Families

(New York, NY)- Energy costs have skyrocketed in the past year, and this winter's home heating costs are beyond the budgets of many New York families. But Senate Republicans have refused to pass home heating legislation proposed by Senate Democrats which would have provided short-term AND long-term aid to millions of low-income and middle-class New York families.

The average New York household that depends on heating oil to heat their homes will spend $2,468 this year, nearly a 25% increase since last winter. Senate Republicans haven't taken action on any real-world proposal that would help families now or in the future.

The Senate Democrats' 21st Century Energy Policy for New York package is designed to help alleviate financial burdens on both homeowners and renters. Key components of the plan include:

Creation of a new Middle-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (MIHEAP) to provide emergency heating bill assistance to middle-class families making up to $85,000 per year;
Expansion of the existing Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by doubling the average benefit for the 2008-09 winter heating season for families making up to $45,000 per year;
A large-scale investment in home weatherization improvements that will save families up to 40 percent on energy costs and create tens of thousands of new green jobs.

Senate Republicans first claimed the Democratic plan wouldn't work because it included increased federal funding. Proving the Senate Republicans wrong yet again, Congress agreed on a bipartisan funding increase for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that would fully fund a key portion of the plan. And the economic downturn has made the job-creation component of the Democratic plan even more important.

The message is clear: Senate Democrats want to cut home heating costs, Republicans want to do nothing. Instead of doing its job, the Republican-majority has chosen to ignore this problem and hope working families don't notice their skyrocketing energy bills. Their inaction is a price New Yorkers cannot afford to pay.

And there you have it. Throw the bums out.