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DCCC, Gardner protects big oil

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Representative Gardner Rewarded for Protecting Big Oil Profits While Ending Medicare

Press Release

As gas prices are on the rise nationwide, it’s Representative Cory Gardner (CO-04) and his Grand Oil Party (GOP) who have made protecting profits for Big Oil a top priority while voting to end the Medicare guarantee for seniors. Sure enough, Gardner has raked in $264,024 in campaign contributions from those Big Oil and gas interests he is protecting.

Thanks to Gardner’s reliable support, the five largest oil companies reported a record $137 billion in profits last year. Now, with rising gas prices, Gardner’s Big Oil allies are poised to make even more profits while seniors’ health care bills would almost double without Medicare.

“Representative Cory Gardner and his Grand Oil Party’s top priority is to protect Big Oil companies so they can continue making record profits off rising gas prices, while voting to end the Medicare guarantee that seniors paid a lifetime to earn,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Gardner relentlessly defends Big Oil companies raking in record profits as gas prices continue to rise, but won’t defend Medicare that seniors depend on. Gardner has raked in thousands from Big Oil interests as he’s put them at the top of the agenda and left seniors as dead last.”

Gardner has repeatedly voted to protect taxpayer subsidies for these Big Oil companies making record profits and voted for the House Republican budget that would end Medicare and raise health care costs for seniors.

BACKGROUND

Gardner Took $264,024 From the Oil and Gas Industry. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 2/21/12 [2]]

Gardner Voted for the House Republican Budget that Continued Special Tax Breaks for Big Oil. On April 15, 2011, House Republicans voted for the budget plan authored by Rep. Paul Ryan. Robert Greenstein, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities wrote that it was noteworthy that the Republican budget secured no deficit-reduction contribution at all from closing special interest tax breaks, such as breaks for big oil companies. [H Con Res 34, Vote #277 [3], 4/15/11; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities,4/20/11 [4]]

Gardner Prioritized Subsidies for Big Oil Over Education. On July 29, 2011, House Republicans voted against directing a bipartisan committee tasked with reducing $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction created under Speaker Boehner’s debt ceiling plan to prioritize cutting subsidies for major oil and gas companies and corporate jets before cutting funding for education. [S 627, Vote #676 [5], 7/29/11; Congressional Record, H5764, 7/29/11 [6]]

Gardner Voted to Protect Taxpayer Subsidies for Big Oil. On March 1, 2011, House Republicans voted against a motion which would have prohibited any major integrated oil company from being eligible for any tax benefit or relief under related provisions of the tax code. [HJ Res 44, Vote #153 [7], 3/1/11; Congressional Record, H1426, 3/1/11 [8]; 26 U.S.C. § 167(h)(5)(B) [9]] 

Gardner Voted to Protect Taxpayer Subsidies for Big Oil. On May 5, 2011, House Republicans voted to bypass consideration of the Big Oil Welfare Repeal Act of 2011 (H.R. 1689), which would repeal key taxpayer-funded subsidies for oil and gas companies. [H Res 245, Vote #293 [10], 5/5/11; The Hill, 5/4/11 [11]; CBS News, 5/4/11 [12]; Congressional Record, H3076, 5/5/11 [13]]