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Tuesday, February 14, 2006
LIHEAP: it's about the promise and the policy
Sen. Smilin'
Norm Coleman (R-MN) traded his vote to pass a budget
bill for a promise:
To win passage for a budget, the Senate's majority leadership promised Sens. Norm Coleman of Minnesota and Olympia Snow and Susan Collins of Maine a vote early this year on a supplemental appropriation bill to get the $2 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Studies done for House Democrats about the scope of the heating assistance shortfall reinforce the urgency for both the Senate and the House to pass this supplemental funding.
Smilin' Norm confirmed this through a press release:
Last month, Coleman, along with Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME) obtained a commitment from Senate leadership for a separate vote on an emergency supplemental bill to provide $2 billion in additional funding for LIHEAP, early this year.
That $2 billion is already down to $1 billion. And, according to The Wind Beneath the Right Wing, a conservative Minnesota blog, Roll Call has reported that the chances of securing any funding are "slim to none" in the house.
Funding LIHEAP is good policy. We've got people struggling to pay high heating bills who deserve a bit of help. Just as important, however, is Coleman's judgment. He voted in favor of drilling in ANWR in exchange for a promise that will not, almost certainly, be broken.
I don't blame Norm for Frist's broken promise. But I do blame Norm for trusting and electing the leadership that seems intent on leading him over a cliff.
