Home  / News / Press Releases

May 5, 2011

AZGOP congressmen rescue Big Oil 'welfare'

Elephants forget deficit-reduction rhetoric when oil, gas subsidies at risk

PHOENIX – Just weeks after voting for dramatic cuts to Medicare, AZGOP congressmen voted today to keep Big Oil flush with taxpayer cash.

Some Republicans have spoken publicly against oil and gas subsidies, well aware that about three-fourths of Americans want the subsidies cut. Even House Speaker John Boehner last week told ABC News that oil corporations “ought to be paying their fair share.” (His office later reversed course.) But the Republicans' true priorities were laid bare in today's vote to protect a $4 billion annual tax break for the nation's five largest oil companies.

Arizona Reps. Gosar, Schweikert, Flake, Quayle and Franks each voted to stop the Big Oil Welfare Repeal Act of 2011 (HR1689) from coming to the House floor for consideration.

According to profit reports, these five oil companies -- ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, Chevron Corp., Shell and BP -- raked in more than $32 billion in profits in the first quarter of 2011, a huge uptick over the same period in 2010.

So, Big Oil is sitting pretty. How is the American public faring?

Americans are paying 30 percent more at the pump compared to April 2010. And prices have jumped 70 cents per gallon in just a couple of months.

"At the same time that Americans are working hard to be fiscally responsible, these Republicans are dismantling Medicare and giving away billions to Big Oil," said Luis Heredia, Arizona Democratic Party executive director.

"What kind of message does that send to seniors or the middle class?" Heredia said. "Speaker Boehner was right, at least before he changed his mind: Big Oil companies ought to be paying their fair share."

###