[House Document 106-286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

106th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-286



 
                   REQUEST AND AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

  HIS REQUEST TO MAKE AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS TOTALING $2,600,000 IN 
 BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES' LOW 
 INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND DESIGNATE THE AMOUNT MADE 
AVAILABLE AS AN EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 251(b)(2)(A) 
 OF THE BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF 1985, AS 
                  AMENDED, PURSUANT TO 31 U.S.C. 1107




  September 6, 2000.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed


                                           The White House,
                                       Washington, August 23, 2000.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    Sir: In accordance with provisions of the FY 2000 Emergency 
Supplemental Act, as included in Public Law 106-246, I hereby 
request and make available appropriations of $2,600,000 in 
budget authority for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program of the Department of Health and Human Services. These 
funds will enable the Department to address the needs of low-
income households in California that are facing extremely high 
electricity prices this summer.
    I designate the $2,600,000 made available today as an 
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as 
amended.
    The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed 
letter from the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget. I concur with her comments and observations.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.
    Enclosure.


               [Estimate No. 21, 106th Cong., 1st Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                   Washington, DC, August 23, 2000.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration is a request to make 
available $2.6 million in emergency appropriations for the 
Department of Health and Human Services. Your approval of this 
request would make available previously appropriated funds to 
the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to 
address the needs of low-income households in California that 
are facing extremely high electricity prices this summer.
    The FY 2000 Emergency Supplemental Act, as included in 
Public Law 106-246, provided $600 million for LIHEAP, 
contingent upon the President submitting a budget request to 
the Congress and designating the entire amount requested as an 
emergency requirement. These funds are to replenish the LIHEAP 
contingent emergency fund, which was exhausted this past winter 
in response to oil price increases. On July 25, 2000, you 
released $41.8 million of this emergency funding to address the 
needs of low-income households in eight southern States arising 
from extremely hot weather conditions and low-income households 
in Alaska needing assistance with fuel costs in light of the 
recent fisheries disaster.
    I recommend that you designate this request for $2.6 
million as an emergency funding requirement in accordance with 
section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. No further 
congressional action will be required.
    I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied 
that it is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services in recommending that you 
make the requested funds available by signing the enclosed 
letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            Sincerely,
                                         Sylvia M. Mathews,
                                                   Deputy Director.
    Enclosure.

Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made Available 
                            by the President

Department of Health and Human Services:
    Administration for Children and Families: Low income 
      home energy assistance program....................      $2,600,000

    The FY 2000 Emergency Supplemental Act, as included in 
Public Law 106-246, provided $600,000,000 for the Low Income 
Home Energy Assistance Program, contingent upon the President 
submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the 
entire amount requested as an emergency requirement.
    Of the $600,000,000 in contingent emergency appropriations 
provided by Public Law 106-246, $41,750,000 has been designated 
as an emergency requirement and made available. At this time, 
an additional $2,600,000 in contingent funding is required to 
support the needs of low-income households in California that 
are facing extremely high electricity prices.