Help Us Stop Welfare for Polluters!
In solidarity,
Mike Hersh for Alan, Mike F., Dan, Deb, Janis, Kimberly, Bryan, Dr. Bill, and Donna—Your PDA National Team
Tell Congress: Pass The End Polluter Welfare Act
Join Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) in demanding an end to the misdirection of our tax money to exacerbate the Climate Emergency. Polluters should be regulated, not rewarded.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) together with Sen. Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Markey (D- Mass.) and Rep. Barragan (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to close tax loopholes and eliminate other federal subsidies for the oil, gas, and coal industries.
Tell Congress to Pass The End Polluter Welfare Act
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From the Senators’ and Representatives’ press release:
Right now, American taxpayers are on the hook for about $15 billion in direct federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. In 2019 alone, the oil, gas, and coal companies that receive these handouts spent $190 million lobbying Congress—for an over 11,000 percent return on investment. At a time when climate change is already causing devastating harm around the world, it makes no sense for Congress to continue giving away taxpayer money to the hugely profitable and highly polluting fossil fuel industry.
“It’s past time we end the billions of taxpayer subsidies to fossil-fuel companies,” said Rep. Omar. “Our focus right now needs to be on getting the American people through this difficult, unprecedented time, not providing giveaways to polluters. Taxpayers provide $15 billion in direct federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry every year. That ends with this bill. I’m proud to be leading the fight for a greener future with my colleagues.”
“At a time when we are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and an economic decline, it is absurd to provide billions of taxpayer subsidies that pad fossil-fuel companies’ already-enormous profits,” said Senator Sanders. “Big Oil made more than $2 trillion in profits over the last two decades. We need more safe, healthy, good paying jobs—not more corporate polluter giveaways.”
The End Polluter Welfare Act would end these absurd corporate giveaways by abolishing dozens of tax loopholes, subsidies, and other special interest giveaways littered throughout the federal tax code, ending energy resource giveaways to polluters on lands and waters owned by the American people, and prohibiting taxpayer-funded fossil fuel research and development—saving taxpayers up to $150 billion over the next ten years.
The bill would also stop the Trump administration from taking coronavirus relief funding away from struggling businesses to bail out fossil fuel corporations.
— end of press release excerpt —
We’re here to help you make progress in your state and locality! If you need help organizing a new PDA chapter or energizing your existing chapter, please contact PDA Field Director Dan O’Neal.
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Support PDA’s Climate Emergency Organizing
Climate change is critical priority #1! [This includes, of course, getti g rid of major impediments like Donald tRump and Moscow Mitch.] It is already too late to alter the emissions and pollution to positively affect those of us over 30 or so. What we DO have some control over is the lives we provide to those under 30: namely, our kids and grandchildren. The environmental hardships we pass on to them will be determined by what we do NOW. We must PENALIZE polluters, not reward them with our tax dollar subsidies. Please act now.