"House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) yesterday walked a fine line on the thorny issue of oil-industry tax benefits targeted for elimination by the White House, stating that 'we oughta be looking at' ending some subsidies even as he ruled out any potential tax increases.
Boehner told ABC News that while 'everybody wants to go after the oil companies' for gas prices that are climbing above $4 per gallon in many regions of the country, the industry also has 'got some part of this to blame.'
'Listen, they're gonna pay their fair share in taxes, and they should,' the GOP leader added. When pressed on President Obama's plan to roll back more than $4 billion in oil-company tax breaks, Boehner said he did not believe 'the big oil companies need to have the oil depletion allowances' -- one of the four biggest subsidies in Democrats' cross hairs -- and that 'we certainly oughta take a look at' proposals to do away with some of the industry's incentives."
Elana Schor reports for Greenwire April 26, 2011.
SEE ALSO:
"Flip Flops: Boehner Supports Cutting Oil Subsidies for Five Whole Minutes" (Grist)
"Obama to Congress: End 'Unwarranted Tax Breaks' for Oil Companies" (Washington Post)
"Obama Again Demands an End to Oil Tax Breaks" (Caucus/NYT)
"Over a Barrel: As Oil Profits Soar, Obama Seeks Political Wedge" (Froomkin/Huffington Post)
"Obama Presses Oil Producing Nations To Boost Output" (Reuters refile)
"Obama Urges Oil Producers To Increase Output" (Reuters)
"Big Oil Will Deliver Big Profits: Dicker" (The Street)
"Senate Ally Defends Obama on Gas Prices" (Green/NYT)
"Obama Urges Repeal of Tax Breaks for Oil Firms" (Los Angeles Times)
"John Boehner Gas Gaffe Creates Opening for Democrats" (Politico)
"Obama, Democrats Jump on John Boehner Gas-Tax Comments" (Politico)
"Poll: Gas Prices Costing Barack Obama in Popularity" (Politico)
"John Boehner: Oil Companies Should Pay Their 'Fair Share'" (Politico)
"Oil Profits, Rhetoric on the Rise" (Politico)
"George W. Bush: Drill More To Lower Gas Prices" (Politico)
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