March 26, 2012

Manchin Votes Again to End $24 Billion in Oil Subsidies

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement after voting tonight to move forward with a bill to end $24 billion in subsidies for big oil companies and instead invest in mine safety, renewable energy sources and cleaner coal production. 

“If you believe that oil companies will reduce their prices because taxpayers are giving them billions of dollars in subsidies, then I have some beachfront property to sell you in Farmington, West Virginia,” Senator Manchin said. “There’s no question: we have to get gas prices to a level where our families can afford them – but I simply do not believe that the solution is subsidizing major oil companies with billions of taxpayer dollars when gas prices are already sky-high.

“I do believe that families need to get relief, and the most commonsense way to reduce gas prices is to take immediate and long-term steps to end our dependence on foreign oil. That means that we have to crack down on speculators in the short term, use more of our domestic energy in the medium term and come together around a national energy plan in the long term.”  

Background: 

  • Senator Manchin voted for the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act (S. 940) on May 17, 2011. The measure failed. 

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