California temperatures are again on the rise, and we can expect to see high temperatures for weeks to come.  July's record temperatures took a heavy toll on many Californians, including several deaths that have been linked to the heat.  Other Californians are struggling to pay for the added electricity needed to cool their homes.

I wanted to let you know that I have joined in a bipartisan effort requesting that the President make available added funding to help low-income seniors and others pay the added cost of cooling.  Below you will find the text of our letter urging the President to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to urge you to release all remaining Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) contingency funds to help provide cooling assistance to low-income families this summer.

According to NOAA meteorologists, an unusually strong ridge of high pressure that has been persistent for the last several weeks across much of the central and eastern U.S. is causing record high temperatures nationwide this summer. More than 50 new all-time high temperature records were established during the last two weeks. The persistence of the unusually hot temperatures has made the past month one of the warmest since records began in 1895 for the contiguous United States. The current heat wave sweeping the country has resulted in more than 160 deaths in California alone.

These searing temperatures, combined with record high electricity prices across the country, are putting many low-income families at risk for heat-related illnesses because they cannot afford the cost of electricity to cool their homes.

Many low-income families do not have adequate resources to pay their energy bills this summer. LIHEAP can provide life-saving assistance to provide air-conditioning and fans to the elderly and disabled.

Public health studies have documented that summer heat and heat waves can worsen cardiovascular disease (ischemic heart disease), increasing the risk of death from heart attack or stroke, and for those with respiratory diseases there is a greater risk of death from pneumonia and other ailments. Summer heat can also lead to hospitalization for those with pre-existing kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, and epilepsy. These conditions can be mitigated by access to cooling during the summer months.

Your release of all remaining contingency funds to help provide cooling assistance is imperative to help in the effort to safeguard the health -- and the lives -- of low-income families across the nation.

We thank you for your prompt attention to this critical request.

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