"I think there are already clear divisions within the House Republican caucus on how damaging it would be to vote to keep tax subsidies for an industry where the top five companies made more than $30 billion in the first three months of the year," an unnamed House Democratic aide told the Hill on Wednesday.

 

 

 

Indeed, leading Republicans have shown some willingness to budge on the matter. In an interview last week, House Speaker John Boehner told ABC News that oil and gas companies are "gonna pay their fair share in taxes - and they should." (Boehner's office later walked back the comments.) And leading Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin, has voiced support for potentially ending the subsidies.