DeWine Votes for More Big Oil Giveaways Instead of Providing Ohio Families Relief at the Pump
DeWine Votes for More Big Oil Giveaways Instead of Providing Ohio Families Relief at the Pump
As gasoline prices hit record highs at pumps across Ohio, Senator Mike DeWine voted Tuesday for a bill that would provide additional giveaways to the oil and gas industry.
U.S. Representative Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said: "Mike DeWine chose to boost the record profits of oil and gas companies instead of reducing pain at the pump for Ohio drivers. Drilling for America's few remaining fossil fuel reserves will only increase America's addiction to oil. Instead of helping the United States achieve energy independence by investing in renewable fuels like ethanol, Mike DeWine voted to increase our energy insecurity."
Last year, DeWine voted for an energy bill that provided billions of dollars in subsidies to the oil and gas companies. DeWine has accepted $330,000 in contributions from the oil and gas industry. The average price of a regular gallon of gasoline in Ohio was $2.23 in July 2005 when the Energy Policy Act passed. Today it is $3.00. Exxon Mobil reported that it reaped the second highest quarterly profits of any U.S. corporation ever for quarter two of 2006.
"Since Mike DeWine voted for last year's energy bill the oil and gas companies have made $1,300 in profits every second," stated Brown. "Gas prices have skyrocketed and Exxon Mobil CEO Lee Raymond was rewarded with a $400 million golden parachute. Mike DeWine continues to vote for legislation written by and for his big oil contributors."
DeWine has consistently voted to keep oil company profits and energy prices up. In June 2005, he opposed efforts to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help relieve gasoline prices [Vote #147, 6/22/05]. He opposed cutting the gasoline tax at least three times [Vote 26, 3/11/98, Energy and Environment Daily, 4/3/00, DeWine Media Stakeout, 6/22/00]. As Chairman on the Senate Committee that oversees mergers in the energy industry, DeWine has held only one hearing on high gasoline prices.
http://sherrodbrown.com/press/releases/434/