CAP’s Kristen Bartoloni in a Wonk Room cross-post.
On Wednesday, 26 House Republicans launched an energy coalition called the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) as a vehicle for the GOP (Grand Oil Party) to tout their oil above all energy agenda.
The team’s name is sadly appropriate, as their agenda will accelerate the greenhouse pollution that is dangerously heating up our planet. Texas Republican Bill Flores, who received over $200,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, explained that their “all of the above” approach means expanding oil and gas drilling:
We desperately need the stability that comes from pursuing an all-of-the-above energy plan, which includes unlocking access and tapping into the vast amounts of taxpayer-owned energy resources both on our public lands and off our coasts.
It’s no surprise that HEAT will be focused on the oil industry wishlist. A Think Progress analysis of campaign contributions revealed that members of HEAT received a whopping $4 million from the oil and gas industry over the course of their careers:HEAT: OVER $4 MILLION FROM BIG OILMemberOil & Gas Industry Contributions Through CareerKevin McCarthy (R-CA)$142,350Peter Roskam (R-IL)$153,265Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)$170,143Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)$343,045Mike Conaway (R-TX)$678,818Steve Scalise (R-LA)$139,135Greg Walden (R-OR)$182,500Rick Berg (R-ND)$114,311Jeff Denham (R-CA)$24,400Cory Gardner (R-CO)$171,324Doc Hastings (R-WA)$161,804Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA)$26,600Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)$119,600Devin Nunes (R-CA)$138,000Alan Nunnelee (R-MS)$55,050Pete Olson (R-TX)$246,750Ben Quayle (R-AZ)$42,200Martha Roby (R-AL)$14,500Phil Roe (R-TN)$23,700Steve Womack (R-AR)$15,719Jeff Duncan (R-SC)$15,000Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)$30,000Bill Flores (R-TX)$212,528Virginia Foxx (R-NC)$58,450John Shimkus (R-IL)$275,761Fred Upton (R-MI)$262,850Bill Johnson (R-OH)$5,250Mike Pompeo (R-KS)$250,156TOTAL $4,073,209“HEAT must stand for Help Exxon Avoid Taxes,” Center for American Progress Action Fund Senior Fellow Daniel Weiss says. Every member except for Capito, who did not cast a vote, voted to continue Big Oil’s $40 billion in subsidies earlier this year.
— Kristen Bartoloni, Researcher for the ThinkProgress.