Here is a brief explanation of the program from a press release.
Congressman McHugh introduced the HEATR Act in June to assist residents with their home heating costs this winter. The legislation would provide up to a $500 tax credit for individuals and families facing more than $1500 in home heating costs during the winter season, with a maximum of one credit per housing unit. For homeowners and renters with home heating expenses below $1500, the bill would provide one-third of the total cost of heating in a tax credit. Individual tax filers making under $50,000 would be eligible for the credit as well as joint filers making under $100,000. Above those income levels, the credit would phase out at $60,000 and $110,000 respectively. Additionally, the credit can only be used for fuel costs, which include propane, heating oil, kerosene, wood, and wood pellets, among others.The plan returns as much as 1/3 of your heat cost.
McHugh is leading a bipartisan effort to pass this legislation with Democratic members such as Kirsten Gillibrand D-NY, John Hall D-NY, and James McGovern D-MA to name a few.
While this legislation is relief for the short term, McHugh is also supporting longer term solutions for off coast exploration as well as exploration in ANWR.
5 comments:
Quick Q and A: Who is McHugh's official spokesman/campaign manager?
According to several sources, including http://www.syracuse.com (April 16, 2008) story about Phonenix DEM dropping out of the 23 CD race for health reasons, that same article cites John Sweeney, former GOP Rep. (20th CD) as "Campaign Manager / Spokesman." So is it the same former Rep. John Sweeney or not?
Yes, this John Sweeney John Sweeney Woes
Just wondering?
There is real irony in this story, real irony:
Shortly after Gingrich took control of the House in Jan 1995, Mr. McHugh voted, lock-step, to cut and then rescind LIHEAP money that affected some 35,000 low-income households across this district.
I challenged him on that issue and by July 1995 he was singing a different tune: "To work vigorously to restore LIHEAP funds."
After backing down, after I challenged him, he stayed down and changed his tune so much that later Tom DeLay referred to him as "Mr. LIHEAP.
Some memories fade - mine does not. These things are important - not last minute bills geared to gain a vote or two...
I wonder if Mr. Oot will bring that up?
Hey Danny, Are you the only Dan Francis? I doubt it.
I also doubt that there can only be one John Sweeney. So for the record, this is NOT the same John Sweeney.
How about trying to get some facts straight~!
Political IV, the full post can be seen at McHughwatch.com.
Mr. McHugh introduced HR 6321, the Home Energy Affordability Tax Relief act, on June 18, 2008. Political IV summarized the bill in his post of 7/23/08. Mr. McHugh, in his press release, claims that he is leading the effort to reduce heating costs by offering a $500 tax credit for those with heating bills more then $1500. The credit will phase out for individuals with incomes greater then $60,000.
In all respect for our congressman, he is leading nothing, except garnering headlines in an election year. This bill has no chance of passage, much less a committee hearing. It is the same manipulative, cynical stunt that he pulled in 2004 when he co-sponsored HR 4597, the National Dairy Equity Act. In fact, the timing of his HEATR act is exactly the same as the Dairy Act. Like the HEATR act that was introduced this June 18th, the Dairy act was introduced June 16, 2004. That bill never made it out of committee to see the light of day.
The time to introduce legislation is at the beginning of the term, not when congress has less then six weeks left in its session. Congress will soon be in recess for its summer vacation and is aiming to adjourn in late September for campaigning. This is one of his typical last minute populist election year bills, that is ill conceived as he does not even make a pretense as to how to pay for it. To be blunt, this bill is a joke for the very reason that its timing assures that it will not be taken seriously.
Not that Mr. McHugh didn’t know about the problem of rising heating costs throughout the district for the past two years. Rising energy costs are not new. Gas was nearly $3.00 a gallon in the summer of 2006.
This is not leadership, but the workings of a well accomplished skillful master politician whose only goal is to win yet another election and rack up another term towards the twenty year mark when he can collect a full congressional pension on our backs.
There are only two types of job performance. One relies on perception, the other relies on results. For those of us whose jobs demand results, nothing makes us see more red than those who flit through life on false perception. They make nothing, produce nothing and do nothing. We have been suckered by the same tailors who “made” the emperor’s new clothes. If we can’t see the clothes, we are stupid. When are we going to wake up and see the naked truth as it is.
A friend of John McHugh (about Sweeney)... Please note that I posted? (1) "So, is this the same former Rep. John Sweeney or not?, and (2) "Just wondering?"
Those two questions mean I raise the question but with some doubt - do you not comprehend the use of ???? mark ???
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