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There were those who yawned at the Democratic response to the appointment of former Nevada Congressional District 2 Representative Dean Heller to the U.S. Senate; it was predictable Democrats would react to Heller’s support of Big Oil. Not only would this be predictable, it would be impossible not to predict given Senator Heller’s votes while serving in the House. As noted previously, House Republicans voted no less than 7 times already during the 112th Congress in support of Big Oil.
On February 18, 2011: “95% of House Republicans voted against closing Big Oil loopholes that cost taxpayers billions and making oil companies pay their fair share for drilling on public lands. To reduce the deficit, this amendment would have fixed a flaw in 1998 and 1999 leases in the Gulf of Mexico that allows oil companies to drill without paying any royalties that could cost American taxpayers up to $53 billion over the next 25 years.” Then Representative Dean Heller voted against the Markey Amendment (roll call 109) to close this loophole.
On February 19, 2011: “The Republican ‘So Be It’ Spending Bill slashed investments in the Commodities Futures Trading Commission – the agency charged with policing the country’s futures markets — by one-third at a time when speculation on energy futures, including oil, is at an all-time high. The world’s largest commodity trader, Goldman Sachs, recently told its clients that it believed speculators like itself had artificially driven the price of oil at least $20 higher than supply and demand dictate. That bill also cut funding for clean renewable energy including investments in wind and solar energy and advanced vehicle technologies and cutting-edge research for breakthrough technologies to fuel tomorrow.” Representative Dean Heller voted in favor of funding cuts for the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, and to cut funding for clean energy technologies. [roll call 147]
On March 1, 2011: ” House Republicans unanimously voted against rolling back taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil. Republicans voted against an amendment to prohibit large oil companies from receiving certain tax breaks, like the domestic manufacturing deduction in the 2004 international tax law.” Representative Heller voted against rolling back taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil. [roll call 153]
On March 9, 2011: “Republicans unanimously voted against bringing up the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act that makes it illegal to sell gasoline at excessive prices and prevents Big Oil from taking advantage of consumers and engaging in price gouging.” Representative Heller voted against bringing this bill to prevent price gouging to the floor. [roll call 165]
On April 15, 2011: “House Republicans passed the GOP Budget which retains $40 billion in Big Oil tax loopholes and ends Medicare as we know it. The GOP Budget slashes investments in clean energy for an energy independent future by 70 percent – calling for drastic cuts in energy research and development, and the elimination of subsidies and tax benefits to spur wind, solar power and other alternative energy technologies, which they term “expensive handouts to uncompetitive sources of energy.”” Representative Heller voted in favor of this budget which retained the $40 billion in Big Oil tax loopholes. [roll call 277]
On May 5, 2011: ” Republicans rejected an effort to consider legislation that prohibits the Big Five oil companies from receiving tax breaks for domestic manufacturing in the 2004 international tax law.” That’s correct, the Big Five have been getting tax breaks for “domestic manufacturing.” Representative Heller voted to reject this legislation to close the loophole. [roll call 293]
On May 5, 2011: “Republicans voted against saying that if oil is taken from land owned by the American taxpayer, then it should benefit American families for the leases in the drilling bill.” Representative Heller voted against including this instruction in the bill. [roll call 297]
Thus, we have a record of then Representative Heller voting against closing tax loopholes for the Big Five oil corporations, against funding the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s efforts to monitor oil price manipulation by speculators, against investments in cleaner energy technologies, against legislation to prevent price gouging, and against prohibiting the Big Five from avoiding taxes by claiming ‘domestic’ production under international law. Given these circumstances it would be more surprising had Democrats not referenced Mr. Heller’s continuing support for Big Oil.
Desert Beacon 