At Least 77 Coal/Oil/Gas Companies Took At Least $8.2 Billion In COVID Relief; Cut 60K Jobs
When Congress looked to prop up a tanking economy and stanch its hemorrhaging of employment as the pandemic spread last year, the oil industry was among those that sought relief. Now, a new analysis shows that dozens of fossil fuel companies received billions of dollars in tax benefits in the coronavirus relief package, but slashed tens of thousands of jobs anyway.
While Congress ended up sending billions in direct loans to small and large businesses, a significant portion of CARES Act benefits came in the form of changes to the tax code. At least 77 fossil fuel companies took advantage of those to claim a total of $8.2 billion in benefits last year, even as they cut nearly 60,000 jobs, according to an analysis published Friday by BailoutWatch, a nonprofit supported by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Chris Kuveke, a BailoutWatch analyst, said the data shows that the aid to the industry failed to deliver the benefits that Congress had intended.
“These companies did not use that money they received through the CARES Act to maintain payroll,” he said.
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https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02042021/fossil-fuel-companies-took-billions-in-u-s-coronavirus-relief-funds-but-still-cut-nearly-60000-jobs/
