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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Pamela Heisey
c: 415-299-0898 | w: 510-868-0894 | e: pamela@maplight.org | t: @imonlyabill

Senators Funded by Oil & Gas Introduce Bill that Would Grant Congress Final Say on Keystone Pipeline

WASHINGTON

On Monday, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), along with 44 co-sponsors, introduced a bill ( S 2041) that would grant Congress the authority to approve the Keystone pipeline. President Obama has already said no to granting approval for the construction project, an outcome accelerated by language in the pay-roll tax law that required Obama to make a decision by late February. Construction of the pipeline that would span from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf of Mexico is supported by the American Petroleum Institute, the Association of Oil Pipe Lines, the Consumer Energy Alliance, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the Industrial Energy Consumers of America, and the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association.

Below is an analysis conducted by MapLight of campaign contributions to senators from individuals and organizations connected to the Oil & Gas industry, made between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2011.

  • Out of the 36 senators who have the Oil & Gas Industry amongst their top 10 contributing industry groups, only five senators did not co-sponsor the bill.
  • Nineteen of the top 20 recipients of campaign contributions connected to the Oil & Gas industry co-sponsored the bill, the lone exception being Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who received a total of $424,700 from Oil & Gas interests.
Rank of Oil & Gas Industry
as a Contributor to Lawmaker
LawmakerBill Co-sponsor Total
(7/1/2005 - 6/30/2011)
1Sen. James Inhofe [R, OK]Yes$472,000
Sen. John Hoeven [R, ND]Yes$251,789
2Sen. John Cornyn [R, TX]Yes$1,000,725
Sen. David Vitter [R, LA]Yes$536,000
Sen. Roger Wicker [R, MS]Yes$362,500
Sen. John Barrasso [R, WY]Yes$347,650
Sen. Kay Hutchison [R, TX]Yes$336,386
Sen. Thomas Coburn [R, OK]Yes$184,650
Sen. James Risch [R, ID]Yes$83,550
3Sen. Mary Landrieu [D, LA]No$424,700
Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK]Yes$314,526
4Sen. Mark Begich [D, AK]No$145,405
Sen. Michael Enzi [R, WY]Yes$125,300
5Sen. Pat Roberts [R, KS]Yes$229,200
Sen. John Boozman [R, AR]Yes$117,602
Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D, NM]No$98,920
6Sen. Roy Blunt [R, MO]Yes$529,850
Sen. Jerry Moran [R, KS]Yes$215,051
Sen. Lamar Alexander [R, TN]Yes$156,050
Sen. Daniel Coats [R, IN]Yes$147,183
7Sen. Kelly Ayotte [R, NH]Yes$127,783
Sen. Joe Manchin [D, WV]Yes$122,700
Sen. Thad Cochran [R, MS]Yes$81,550
Sen. Mike Lee [R, UT]Yes$45,050
8Sen. Patrick Toomey [R, PA]Yes$263,516
Sen. Mark Pryor [D, AR]No$144,650
9Sen. Mitch McConnell [R, KY]Yes$528,500
Sen. Jeff Sessions [R, AL]Yes$104,700
Sen. Rand Paul [R, KY]Yes$102,940
10Sen. Bob Corker [R, TN]Yes$339,250
Sen. Robert Portman [R, OH]Yes$295,758
Sen. Richard Burr [R, NC]Yes$224,600
Sen. Marco Rubio [R, FL]Yes$200,750
Sen. Ben Nelson [D, NE]No$193,550
Sen. John Thune [R, SD]Yes$176,990
Sen. Jim DeMint [R, SC]Yes$134,073

Click here to download a spreadsheet with contributions from Oil & Gas to all current members of the Senate (July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2011) and the House of Representatives (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011). The spreadsheet also includes contributions connected to Environmental protection interest groups.

METHODOLOGY: MapLight analysis of campaign contributions to current members of the U.S. Senate from organizations and individuals connected to the Oil & Gas industry, July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2011. Campaign contributions data source: OpenSecrets.org

A link to this data release can be found here.

MapLight is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that reveals money's influence on politics.