A version of this article appeared in print on May 9, 2011, on page A15 of the New York edition with the headline: Democrats Plan Would Offset Deficit by Ending Big Oils Tax Breaks.
WASHINGTON Linking two of the politically volatile issues of the moment, Senate Democrats say they will move forward this week with a plan that would eliminate tax breaks for big oil companies and divert the savings to offset the deficit.
With high gas prices and rising federal deficits in the political spotlight, senior Democrats believe that tying the two together will put pressure on Senate Republicans to support the measure or face a difficult time explaining their opposition to voters whose family budgets are being strained by fuel prices.