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 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.
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