03/17/14 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (IN-02) released the following statement regarding Senate passage of H.R. 4076, the Home Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation (HHEATT) Act of 2014, a bill she cosponsored to help ease the propane shortage in the Midwest.
“More than 17,000 Hoosiers in Indiana’s Second District rely on propane to heat their homes and businesses. I am pleased the Senate unanimously passed this commonsense measure to help ensure Hoosier families and small businesses have access to reasonably priced propane for the remainder of the winter.”
Extreme winter weather and distribution challenges led to an increased demand in propane that resulted in a propane shortage and record high propane costs in the Midwest. The HHEATT Act extends an emergency declaration waiving hours of service limitations for motor carriers delivering home heating fuels. This waiver, which lasts until May 31, 2014, will enable the rapid delivery of much-needed heating fuels throughout the Midwest.
Earlier this month, Walorski led a letter, along with other Hoosier lawmakers, to Secretary Anthony Foxx requesting an emergency extension exempting motor carriers from hours of service limitations. The U.S. DOT declared a state of emergency on January 14, 2014, and that exemption has been extended several times, most recently until March 15, 2014.
