Pelosi urges Boehner to set oil-subsidy-repeal vote

Democrats are squeezing as much political mileage as possible out of House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) quasi-retracted statement that he would consider elimination of some oil industry tax incentives that the White House is pushing to repeal.

In a letter to Boehner released Tuesday evening, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called on Boehner to schedule a floor vote next week on the repeal of billions of dollars in industry tax breaks.

“As you also know, we have had several votes on this subject in the House, and have been disappointed that these proposals have not been supported by the Republican leadership,” Pelosi wrote.

“Your comments yesterday acknowledged that oil companies ought to be paying their fair share. It makes little sense for American consumers — who are now paying over $4 a gallon for gasoline in most parts of the United States — to have billions of their taxpayer dollars subsidizing oil companies that are making record profits,” the letter adds.

Obama sent congressional leaders his own letter earlier in the day calling for “immediate action to eliminate unwarranted tax breaks for the oil and gas industry,” and several other Democrats have pounced on Boehner’s comments as well.