Political Quotes

“I rise to join many of my colleagues in support of the efforts to stop wasting taxpayer money subsidizing oil executives' huge profits. We need to end these wasteful handouts, reduce the deficit, and develop clean energy solutions. While the oil industry is thriving, making $137 billion--that is billion with a ``b''--in profits last year, Rhode Islanders are paying nearly $3.90 per gallon at the pump. Working families are being are forced to cut back because of high gas prices. In turn, big oil companies should have their wasteful tax subsidies eliminated. We should be working to fuel the U.S. economy, not the oil cartels and big oil companies. That is why I am a proud cosponsor of the Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act, which would put a stop to these wasteful tax breaks and use the savings to invest in clean energy technologies that will create jobs, save money for middle-class families, and increase America's competitiveness in the global clean energy economy. Addressing gas prices and reducing our dependence on oil requires a smart, balanced, and responsible national energy policy. There are no silver bullets, but there are both short-term and long-term steps we should take. In the near term, we have to be ready to respond to geopolitical events by making it clear that we are prepared to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve if such a measure is necessary because of geopolitical developments.…”