Senators Who Voted To Protect Oil Tax Breaks Received $23,582,500 From Big Oil
In a 51-47 vote, 43 Senate Republicans and four Democrats filibustered to protect $24 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil. Although a majority voted for Sen. Robert Menendez’s (D-NJ) bill, it fell short of the 60 needed. The only two Republicans to break rank were Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
A Think Progress Green analysis shows how oil and gas companies have funneled cash to the same senators who protected its handouts:
– The 47 senators voting against the bill have received $23,582,500 in career contributions from oil and gas. The 51 senators voting to repeal oil tax breaks have received $5,873,600.
– The 47 senators voting against the bill have received $23,582,500 in career contributions from oil and gas– The senators who voted for Big Oil’s handouts received on average over four times as much career oil cash as those who voted to end them.– Overall, Senate Republicans have taken $23.2 million in oil and gas contributions. Democrats received $6.66 million.– Since 2011, Senate Republicans have voted seven times for pro-Big Oil interests and against clean energy three times.
Democrats who joined the Republicans in defeating the bill include Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mark Begich (D-AK), and Jim Webb (D-VA). Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) broke ranks and voted to cut the tax breaks. Two senators, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) didn’t vote.
Republicans have taken an overwhelming 88 percent of oil and gas contributions this election cycle. While showering politicans with cash, the oil industry also spent over$146,000,000 on lobbying last year.
Although 55 percent of Americans want to see Big Oil welfare end, the GOP once again largely acted in-line with their Big Oil donors.
The full list of oil contributions for the Senate is listed below, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics:
| Senator | Since 2006 | Career | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akaka, Daniel (D-HI) | 6,800 | 33,500 | Y |
| Alexander, Lamar (R-TN) | 159,350 | 414,550 | N |
| Ayotte, Kelly (R-NH) | 142,368 | 142,368 | N |
| Barrasso, John (R-WY) | 409,900 | 416,650 | N |
| Baucus, Max (D-MT) | 193,800 | 358,815 | Y |
| Begich, Mark (D -AK) | 153,705 | 153,705 | N |
| Bennet, Michael (D-CO) | 137,170 | 137,170 | Y |
| Bingaman, Jeff (D-NM) | 130,499 | 446,440 | Y |
| Blumenthal, Richard (D-CT) | 8,500 | 8,500 | Y |
| Blunt, Roy (R-MO) | 363,950 | 760,598 | N |
| Boozman, John (R-AR) | 101,352 | 141,952 | N |
| Boxer, Barbara (D-CA) | 19,350 | 40,075 | Y |
| Brown , Scott (R-MA) | 198,660 | 198,660 | N |
| Brown , Sherrod (D-OH) | 14,850 | 63,250 | Y |
| Burr, Richard (R-NC) | 234,800 | 549,852 | N |
| Cantwell, Maria (D-WA) | 39,666 | 61,116 | Y |
| Cardin, Benjamin (D-MD) | 39,400 | 71,900 | Y |
| Carper, Thomas (D-DE) | 48,600 | 71,060 | Y |
| Casey, Bob (D-PA) | 103,150 | 103,150 | Y |
| Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) | 260,300 | 381,192 | N |
| Coats, Daniel (R-In) | 144,783 | 348,908 | N |
| Coburn, Tom (R-OK) | 190,400 | 552,163 | N |
| Cochran, Thad (R-MS) | 94,250 | 231,485 | N |
| Collins, Susan (R-ME) | 83,900 | 175,643 | Y |
| Conrad, Kent (D-ND) | 72,150 | 312,403 | Y |
| Coons, Chris (D-DE) | 13,373 | 13,373 | Y |
| Corker, Bob (R-TN) | 414,250 | 462,950 | N |
| Cornyn, John (R-TX) | 1,197,275 | 1,877,550 | N |
| Crapo, Mike (R-ID) | 94,300 | 314,689 | N |
| DeMint, Jim (R-SC) | 149,323 | 248,389 | N |
| Durbin, Richard (D-IL) | 23,100 | 66,800 | Y |
| Enzi, Michael (R-WY) | 126,800 | 305,650 | N |
| Feinstein, Dianne (D-CA) | 63,500 | 179,750 | Y |
| Franken, Al (D-MN) | 19,200 | 19,200 | Y |
| Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY) | 67,882 | 74,050 | Y |
| Graham, Lindsey (R-SC) | 64,150 | 154,875 | N |
| Grassley, Chuck (R-IA) | 132,500 | 270,050 | N |
| Hagan, Kay (D-NC) | 17,550 | 17,550 | Y |
| Harkin, Tom (D-IA) | 61,550 | 189,500 | Y |
| Hatch, Orrin (R-UT) | 310,750 | 452,425 | – |
| Heller, Dean (R-NV) | 122,100 | 210,050 | N |
| Hoeven, John (R-ND) | 263,289 | 263,289 | N |
| Hutchsion, Kay Bailey (R-TX) | 476,586 | 2,223,271 | N |
| Inhofe, James (R-OK) | 550,350 | 1,367,523 | N |
| Inouye, Daniel (D-HI) | 25,850 | 65,850 | Y |
| Isakson, Johnny (R-GA) | 130,900 | 248,514 | N |
| Johanns, Mike (R-NE) | 82,800 | 82,800 | N |
| Johnson, Ron (R-WI) | 113,950 | 113,950 | N |
| Johnson, Tim (D-SD) | 62,350 | 127,706 | Y |
| Kerry, John (D-MA) | 4,710 | 407,570 | Y |
| Kirk, Mark (R-IL) | 159,750 | 207,750 | – |
| Klobouchar, Amy (D-MN) | 19,716 | 19,716 | Y |
| Kohl, Herb (D-WI) | – | 1,300 | Y |
| Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) | 145,900 | 334,332 | N |
| Landrieu, Mary L. (D-LA) | 492,030 | 891,574 | N |
| Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ) | 40,800 | 95,900 | Y |
| Leahy, Patrick (D-VT) | 250 | 10,250 | Y |
| Lee, Mike (R-UT) | 50,350 | 50,350 | N |
| Levin, Carl (D-MI) | 23,100 | 92,844 | Y |
| Lieberman, Jo (I -CT) | 84,850 | 196,250 | Y |
| Lugar, Richard (R-IN) | 67,600 | 217,225 | N |
| Manchin, Joe (D-WV) | 141,300 | 141,300 | Y |
| McCain, John (R-AZ) | 2,622,764 | 2,870,491 | N |
| McCaskill, Claire (D-MO) | 55,058 | 55,058 | Y |
| McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) | 759,450 | 1,154,011 | N |
| Menendez, Robert (D-NJ) | 58,900 | 118,650 | Y |
| Merkley, Jeff (D-OR) | 6,500 | 6,500 | Y |
| Mikulski, Barbara (D-MD) | 9,650 | 47,710 | Y |
| Moran, Jerry (R-KS) | 139,000 | 385,496 | N |
| Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK) | 320,326 | 533,489 | N |
| Murray, Patty (D-Wa) | 21,716 | 57,366 | Y |
| Nelson, Ben (D-NE) | 217,650 | 271,555 | N |
| Nelson, Bill (D-FL) | 56,617 | 86,117 | Y |
| Paul, Rand (R-KY) | 106,840 | 106,840 | N |
| Portman, Robert (R-OH) | 313,858 | 323,458 | N |
| Pryor, Mark (D-AR) | 153,650 | 183,800 | Y |
| Reed, Jack (D-RI) | 5,200 | 12,850 | Y |
| Reid, Harry (D-NV) | 136,550 | 349,336 | Y |
| Risch, James (R-ID) | 88,350 | 88,350 | N |
| Roberts, Pat (R-KS) | 250,000 | 429,800 | N |
| Rockefeller, Jay (D-WV) | 73,550 | 310,250 | Y |
| Rubio, Marco (R-FL) | 244,034 | 244,034 | N |
| Sanders, Bernie (I -VT) | 5,500 | 7,200 | Y |
| Schumer, Charles (D-NY) | 64,200 | 239,551 | Y |
| Sessions, Jeff (R-AL) | 106,200 | 297,500 | N |
| Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH) | 12,300 | 21,000 | Y |
| Shelby, Richard (R-AL) | 50,900 | 352,700 | N |
| Snowe, Olympia (R-ME) | 73,200 | 173,900 | Y |
| Stabenow, Debnbie (D-MI) | 35,750 | 54,100 | Y |
| Tester, Jon (D-Mt) | 26,400 | 26,400 | Y |
| Thune, John (R-SD) | 189,835 | 649,462 | N |
| Toomey, Patrick (R-PA) | 315,366 | 362,716 | N |
| Udall, Mark (D-CO) | 120,110 | 169,029 | Y |
| Udall, Tom (D-NM) | 105,329 | 150,210 | Y |
| Vitter, David (R-LA) | 612,850 | 1,018,685 | N |
| Warner, Mark (D-VA) | 20,400 | 59,200 | Y |
| Webb, Jim (D-VA) | 26,006 | 26,006 | N |
| Whitehouse, Sheldon (D-RI) | 25,550 | 25,550 | Y |
| Wicker, Roger (R-MS) | 356,400 | 538,810 | N |
| Wyden, Ron (D-OR) | 43,264 | 117,864 | Y |
| TOTAL | 16,994,910 | 30,116,264 | |
| GOP | 13,586,309 | 23,249,395 | |
| Dems | 3,318,251 | 6,663,419 | |
| Independents | 90,350 | 203,450 |
Methodology: Analysis includes oil and gas contributions from PACs and individuals giving $200 or more to Senators between the 2006-2012 election cycles and over their career, using data from the Center for Responsive Politics.
Not a bad return on investment: spend $23 million to get $24 billion. Shouldn't congress realize they could hold out for much, much more?
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