BIG OIL

PRICES

After forcing through two pieces of legislation with significant benefits for the oil industry this year, House Republican leaders on Tuesday called for oil companies to return the favor by building new refineries and taking other steps to increase fuel supply and lower gas prices.

See, Congress admits they worked to benefit Big Oil.

Democrats criticized not only the Republican plan for spending cuts but also the new House approach to oil prices, which followed approval this year of a major energy bill and a separate refinery measure that delivered billions of dollars in industry subsidies and other incentives to oil companies.

"Unfortunately for Speaker Hastert and his special-interest cronies," said Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, "one photo-op press conference isn't going to change the fact that he has been pushing the very legislation that has led to record profits for the oil industry every chance he gets."

Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute, said that while the leadership was pushing for new refineries, expansion of existing facilities could accomplish the same result at a quicker pace.

And there is your proof about Big Oil.