Bush Proposes Elimination of Low Income Home Weatherization Program

In his proposed budget for 2009, President Bush proposes to delete all funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program. DOE described the program as follows:

The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. It is this country's longest running, and perhaps most successful energy efficiency program. During the last 30 years, the U.S. Department of Energy 's (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program has provided weatherization services to more than 5.5 million low-income families.

By reducing the energy bills of low-income families instead of offering aid, weatherization reduces dependency and liberates these funds for spending on more pressing family issues. On average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 31% and overall energy bills by $358 per year at current prices. This spending, in turn, spurs low-income communities toward job growth and economic development.

After the President announced his plans to terminate the program, DOE deleted the above program description from its website. See Weatherization Program Called "Most Successful" on Website, Then Truth Erased After Bush Eliminates Program.