Medford Resident Brings a Citizen’s Perspective on the Cost of Home Heating to Congress
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Mrs. Dorothy Elizabeth Tucker sits |
Mrs. Dorothy Elizabeth Tucker, a resident of Medford, brought her personal story of struggling with the ever-increasing cost of home heating oil to Congress. Mrs. Tucker had been invited to speak to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on behalf of consumers facing soaring home heating costs by Representative Edward J. Markey, a senior Democrat on the committee.
In a meeting before the hearing, Mrs. Tucker shared with Rep. Markey her concerns about the cost of home heating. Mrs. Tucker told Rep. Markey that she is concerned not only for herself and other senior citizens, but for all New England residents who face greater heating costs as the winter months begin.
Mrs. Tucker explained that the cost of home heating was frequently a topic of conversation among seniors, joking that when she takes a daily morning walk, she always says “Good morning. How are you? How’s your oil bill?” Rep. Markey asked Mrs. Tucker about the difficult choices many seniors have had to make as they struggle to heat their homes.
As he spoke before members of the Committee, Rep. Markey spoke clearly about where his priorities lie. “This is all about choices—moral choices —who needs help and who does not… we [need to] help Mrs. Tucker and other seniors on fixed incomes, as well as low-income families in our community, so they can better cope with these high energy prices.”