By PAUL H. HEINTZ

BRATTLEBORO -- Speaking at a fundraiser for the Windham County Heat Fund Thursday night, Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., announced that a home heating bill he proposed earlier this week has gained the support of a number of colleagues from both sides of the aisle.

Sanders' "Keep Americans Warm Act of 2007" would add $1 billion in funding to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides grants to some 5.8 million low-income families as well as elderly and disabled people.

"The truth of the matter is we're the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. The truth of the matter is we shouldn't have to be here tonight talking about this issue," Sanders told an audience of 25 at the American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro.

Sander's bill will be co-sponsored by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.

Gov. James Douglas also endorsed the proposal earlier this week.

"As of now we have a strong bipartisan coalition," Sanders said.

Congress is currently debating whether to increase LIHEAP funding by
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11.6 percent to $2.4 billion or -- as President George W. Bush has proposed -- cutting it by 21 percent to $1.8 billion.

Even with the 11.6 percent increase, according to Sanders' office, LIHEAP funding would still be 31 percent below the Fiscal Year 2006 figure of $3.2 billion. Sanders' amendment would add $1 billion on top of the proposed increase.

"The idea of cutting the LIHEAP fund at a time when fuel prices are exploding is just beyond belief," he said.

Founded three years ago by Rep. Daryl Pillsbury and Guilford resident Richard Davis, the Windham County Heat Fund provides additional assistance to local residents who cannot afford to heat their homes.

In the past two years, the two have raised between $10,000 and $13,000, but this year demand is far outpacing available funds.

"Usually we have a few dollars at this time every year," Davis said Thursday night. "This year is the worst in terms of need."

The organization has so far helped 20 households this fall -- far more than the total number served by the end of previous winters.

One woman who attended Thursday's event said she learned about the fund earlier this fall after moving to a new home with her family -- only to find herself struggling to get by.

"I essentially had nothing left and I found the oil tank in the house had absolutely nothing," she said. "I had no money left, but I thought 'We'll just tough it out until heating assistance shows up.' We spent three days freezing our butts off."

After learning about the fund, the woman contacted Davis and received a fuel shipment the next day.

"I didn't ever think I would ask for that. It wasn't an easy thing to ask for," she said. "It was kind of a miracle."

Though the event had a lower turnout than Pillsbury and Davis had hoped, they collected more than $1,000 in donations.

"We raised a good amount for the number of people here," Pillsbury said.

Rep. John Moran, D-Wardsboro, who attended the event, said he planned to introduce legislation in the Vermont House to request a study of disparities he has noticed in the price of home heating oil from house to house and town to town.

"There seems to be such a discrepancy," he said.

Moran said he had heard from constituents who were being charged more than their neighbors for smaller quantities of oil.

Sanders, who said he was honored to attend the fundraiser, said, "The problem isn't just going to be solved in Washington. It's going to be solved locally as well."

Tax deductible donations to the heat fund can be dropped off at Brattleboro Savings & Loan or sent to Richard Davis, 679 Weatherhead Hollow Road, Guilford, VT 05301. Checks should be made out to "Guilford Cares," with "Heat fund" in the memo section.