By Ben Geman
The Hill
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) is calling for removal of oil-and-gas industry tax breaks if subsidies for green energy are also eliminated.
Upton’s comments, given at a Monday-night debate with Democratic challenger Mike O’Brien, arrive a week after Mitt Romney said billions of dollars in oil industry tax breaks would likely be jettisoned under his proposal to lower the overall corporate tax rate.
“I’m for putting all of these on an even footing,” Upton said. “Let’s look at the oil and gas subsidies, let’s take them away. Let’s let them compete just like everyone else at the same level. We can do that with the tax code to take those special provisions away.”
The Kalamazoo Gazette reported Upton’s comments and provided audio of the remarks here.
Upton bashed the federal loan guarantee for the failed solar energy company Solyndra — the source of a lengthy Energy Committee probe — in arguing that aid for the oil and renewable energy industries alike should be removed.
