Dear John,
While all of us have been working to flatten the curve and support those on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis, the fossil fuel industry has been working feverishly to profit off the pandemic.
It’s lobbied the EPA to drop all pollution controls. Pushed forward pipelines like Keystone XL. Tried to get out of providing healthcare for sick workers.
Now, fossil fuel companies are lobbying to get a huge chunk of the bailout funds that are meant to go to small businesses across the United States. We need your help to stop this and make sure coronavirus aid goes to people, not polluters.
Tell Congress: No bailouts for fossil fuel companies!
This is a critical moment for us to push back on this Big Oil Bailout.
Industry-friendly politicians are already lobbying Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to open up the $500 billion Trump Slush Fund to coal, oil and gas companies. They also tried to include $3 billion to purchase oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a bill that was supposed to provide COVID-19 relief to those most in need.
These politicians aren’t trying to help workers in the fossil fuel industry. If they were, they’d be supporting universal healthcare, direct relief to working families, and job retraining programs. No, this is all about lining the pockets of their wealthy corporate donors.
Small businesses, workers, and people like you across the country urgently need aid and protections. It is unacceptable that Congress is even considering directing help to Big Oil instead.
Tell your Representative to protect people, not polluters!
With over 16 million people out of work, now isn’t the time to be giving handouts to fossil fuel billionaires. If we can generate a large enough public outcry, it will ensure that Big Polluters aren’t allowed to profit off this pandemic.
Together, we can ensure that we have a just and sustainable recovery to COVID-19. A recovery that helps strengthen our communities and protect our climate. A recovery that works for people, not polluters.
Take action now: Stop Big Polluters from exploiting the COVID-19 crisis!
Standing with you,
Nicole Ghio,
Senior fossil fuels program manager,
Friends of the Earth
