Nancy PelosiOnly 10 days after Congressman Maurice Hinchey introduced the End Oil Aid Bill in the U.S. Congress, more than 150 organizations from 50 countries have written to House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, recognizing her clean energy efforts and calling on her to lend support to eliminate international ‘oil aid’.

The letter (Acrobat pdf) cites over $20 billion in international subsidies to oil companies since the early 1990s and states that the projects supported by this aid “fuel global warming, encourage oil dependence, and increase conflict and poverty around the world.” The letter emphasizes that “ending oil aid and focusing on supporting truly sustainable energy alternatives would be an important step in addressing energy poverty and catalyzing new renewable energy.” “As Congress acts to repeal tax breaks and other handouts for oil companies,” signatories urge Speaker Pelosi that she “also work to end international assistance to Big Oil.”