Thursday, March 29, 2012

Senators Who Voted To Protect Oil Tax Breaks Received $23,582,500 From Big Oil


By Rebecca Leber/Think Progress

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 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:

SenatorSince 2006CareerVote
Akaka, Daniel (D-HI)6,80033,500Y
Alexander, Lamar (R-TN)159,350414,550N
Ayotte, Kelly (R-NH)142,368142,368N
Barrasso, John (R-WY)409,900416,650N
Baucus, Max (D-MT)193,800358,815Y
Begich, Mark (D -AK)153,705153,705N
Bennet, Michael (D-CO)137,170137,170Y
Bingaman, Jeff (D-NM)130,499446,440Y
Blumenthal, Richard (D-CT)8,5008,500Y
Blunt, Roy (R-MO)363,950760,598N
Boozman, John (R-AR)101,352141,952N
Boxer, Barbara (D-CA)19,35040,075Y
Brown , Scott (R-MA)198,660198,660N
Brown , Sherrod (D-OH)14,85063,250Y
Burr, Richard (R-NC)234,800549,852N
Cantwell, Maria (D-WA)39,66661,116Y
Cardin, Benjamin (D-MD)39,40071,900Y
Carper, Thomas (D-DE)48,60071,060Y
Casey, Bob (D-PA)103,150103,150Y
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA)260,300381,192N
Coats, Daniel (R-In)144,783348,908N
Coburn, Tom (R-OK)190,400552,163N
Cochran, Thad (R-MS)94,250231,485N
Collins, Susan (R-ME)83,900175,643Y
Conrad, Kent (D-ND)72,150312,403Y
Coons, Chris (D-DE)13,37313,373Y
Corker, Bob (R-TN)414,250462,950N
Cornyn, John (R-TX)1,197,2751,877,550N
Crapo, Mike (R-ID)94,300314,689N
DeMint, Jim (R-SC)149,323248,389N
Durbin, Richard (D-IL)23,10066,800Y
Enzi, Michael (R-WY)126,800305,650N
Feinstein, Dianne (D-CA)63,500179,750Y
Franken, Al (D-MN)19,20019,200Y
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY)67,88274,050Y
Graham, Lindsey (R-SC)64,150154,875N
Grassley, Chuck (R-IA)132,500270,050N
Hagan, Kay (D-NC)17,55017,550Y
Harkin, Tom (D-IA)61,550189,500Y
Hatch, Orrin (R-UT)310,750452,425
Heller, Dean (R-NV)122,100210,050N
Hoeven, John (R-ND)263,289263,289N
Hutchsion, Kay Bailey (R-TX)476,5862,223,271N
Inhofe, James (R-OK)550,3501,367,523N
Inouye, Daniel (D-HI)25,85065,850Y
Isakson, Johnny (R-GA)130,900248,514N
Johanns, Mike (R-NE)82,80082,800N
Johnson, Ron (R-WI)113,950113,950N
Johnson, Tim (D-SD)62,350127,706Y
Kerry, John (D-MA)4,710407,570Y
Kirk, Mark (R-IL)159,750207,750
Klobouchar, Amy (D-MN)19,71619,716Y
Kohl, Herb (D-WI)1,300Y
Kyl, Jon (R-AZ)145,900334,332N
Landrieu, Mary L. (D-LA)492,030891,574N
Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ)40,80095,900Y
Leahy, Patrick (D-VT)25010,250Y
Lee, Mike (R-UT)50,35050,350N
Levin, Carl (D-MI)23,10092,844Y
Lieberman, Jo (I -CT)84,850196,250Y
Lugar, Richard (R-IN)67,600217,225N
Manchin, Joe (D-WV)141,300141,300Y
McCain, John (R-AZ)2,622,7642,870,491N
McCaskill, Claire (D-MO)55,05855,058Y
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY)759,4501,154,011N
Menendez, Robert (D-NJ)58,900118,650Y
Merkley, Jeff (D-OR)6,5006,500Y
Mikulski, Barbara (D-MD)9,65047,710Y
Moran, Jerry (R-KS)139,000385,496N
Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK)320,326533,489N
Murray, Patty (D-Wa)21,71657,366Y
Nelson, Ben (D-NE)217,650271,555N
Nelson, Bill (D-FL)56,61786,117Y
Paul, Rand (R-KY)106,840106,840N
Portman, Robert (R-OH)313,858323,458N
Pryor, Mark (D-AR)153,650183,800Y
Reed, Jack (D-RI)5,20012,850Y
Reid, Harry (D-NV)136,550349,336Y
Risch, James (R-ID)88,35088,350N
Roberts, Pat (R-KS)250,000429,800N
Rockefeller, Jay (D-WV)73,550310,250Y
Rubio, Marco (R-FL)244,034244,034N
Sanders, Bernie (I -VT)5,5007,200Y
Schumer, Charles (D-NY)64,200239,551Y
Sessions, Jeff (R-AL)106,200297,500N
Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH)12,30021,000Y
Shelby, Richard (R-AL)50,900352,700N
Snowe, Olympia (R-ME)73,200173,900Y
Stabenow, Debnbie (D-MI)35,75054,100Y
Tester, Jon (D-Mt)26,40026,400Y
Thune, John (R-SD)189,835649,462N
Toomey, Patrick (R-PA)315,366362,716N
Udall, Mark (D-CO)120,110169,029Y
Udall, Tom (D-NM)105,329150,210Y
Vitter, David (R-LA)612,8501,018,685N
Warner, Mark (D-VA)20,40059,200Y
Webb, Jim (D-VA)26,00626,006N
Whitehouse, Sheldon (D-RI)25,55025,550Y
Wicker, Roger (R-MS)356,400538,810N
Wyden, Ron (D-OR)43,264117,864Y
TOTAL16,994,91030,116,264
GOP13,586,30923,249,395
Dems3,318,2516,663,419
Independents90,350203,450
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.

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