Contact:
Erich Pica, 202-222-0739

Statement of Friends of the Earth Domestic Policy Director Erich Pica

Mitch McConnell - Out of Touch with Kentucky and America

This year, oil and gas companies continued raking in record profits at the expense of Kentuckians and consumers across the country. Companies like ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell reaped more than $100 billion in profits in 2005, and their profits continued soaring in 2006. These profits are more than twice the size of Kentucky’s $49 billion biannual budget. At the same time, these companies also received billions in tax breaks and other handouts courtesy of the federal government.

Incoming minority leader Mitch McConnell's recent statement that he'll oppose attempts to eliminate these handouts for Big Oil shows just how out of step he is with Kentuckians and the American people. Voters went to the polls in November and sent a clear message: the time for massive handouts to Big Oil is over.