Republican Refinery Bill–Will Help Big Oil Over Consumers

Republicans are at it again, bringing up bills they claim will help average consumers, but which are actually just handouts to big oil.

This week, House Republicans offer the Refinery Permit Process Act, which takes decision-making power away from local and state governments when it comes to oil refinery construction and expansion, and gives it to the federal government instead.

Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle say that current health and environmental regulations are getting in the way of oil companies increasing their refining capacities – but that is simply not true. In fact, several refiners have announced expansion plans totaling over 1.1 million barrels per day of capacity – all under current law.

Even the CEO of Shell testified before the U.S. Senate last November that “we are not aware of any environmental regulations that have prevented us from expanding refinery capacity or sitting on a new refinery.”

This legislation is clearly not needed. It is time the House Republican leadership bring bills to the floor that will actually decrease our dependence on foreign oil and relieve the price burden on consumers.