Big Oil’s Nearly $10 Million Investment Pays off in Subcommittee Vote
Members of Subcommittee that Voted to Lift Crude Oil Export Have Received At Least $9,657,913 in Campaign Contributions From the Oil and Gas Industry Over the Course of Their Careers
Big oil has been hard at work encouraging Congress to repeal the crude oil export ban. Such a move would pad the bottom line of oil companies already bringing in billions of dollars in profit each year while also strengthening the economies of foreign countries like China. Unfortunately, the American people would not fare as well by such a change in policy. Experts estimate lifting the ban could raise gas prices by as much as 14.5 cents per gallon, cost thousands of American jobs, and hold our national security and energy independence hostage to foreign oil suppliers.
Yesterday, the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power took the first step towards repealing this critical 40-year old policy that blocks a majority of raw American crude oil from being exported abroad. By a voice vote, subcommittee members passed H.R. 702 authored by Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, which would repeal the ban. It should be noted the measure passed by voice vote and that specific votes for and against the legislation by legislators were not recorded.
According to data collected by Center for Responsive Politics, members of the Subcommittee on Energy and Power have collectively received at least $9,657,913 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry over the course of their congressional careers. Not surprisingly, Rep. Barton who authored the repeal legislation led the pack with nearly $2 million in campaign cash from the industry during his career.
Rep. Joe Barton (TX-R) – $1,965,655- Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-R) – $960,460
- Rep. Fred Upton (MI-R), Ex Officio – $789,350
- Rep. Pete Olson (TX-R), Vice Chairman – $760,400
- Rep. Bill Flores (TX-R) – $700,523
- Rep. Gene Green (TX-D) – $630,613
- Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-R), Chairman – $562,097
- Rep. John Shimkus (IL-R) – $561,111
- Rep. Gregg Harper (MS-R) – $380,100
- Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-R) – $344,666
- Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-R) – $277,400
- Rep. David McKinley (WV-R) – $209,600
- Rep. Bob Latta (OH-R) – $192,350
- Rep. Joseph Pitts (PA-R) – $184,250
- Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-R) – $182,187
- Rep. Michael Doyle (PA-D) – $171,012
- Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-R) – $153,200
- Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-R) – $126,000
- Rep. Renee Ellmers (NC-R) – $95,900
- Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-D), Ex Officio – $82,689
- Rep. Peter Welch (VT-D) – $76,250
- Rep. Billy Long (MO-R) – $58,500
- Rep. Bobby Rush (IL-D), Ranking Member – $57,200
- Rep. Eliot Engel (NY-D) – $34,750
- Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-D) – $26,350
- Rep. John Sarbanes (MD-D) – $24,250
- Rep. Lois Capps (CA-D) – $20,750
- Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-D) – $14,750
- Rep. John Yarmuth (KY-D) – $7,100
- Rep. David Loebsack (IA-D) – $5,500
- Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-D) – $2,950
The measure now advances to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee and will likely be in front of the entire House of Representatives for a vote later this month.
Allied Progress released a statement following the vote calling the subcommittee’s action “shortsighted and reckless.” The organization has been running ad campaigns in several states urging lawmakers to oppose repeal of the policy. It also released a fact sheet outlining some of the potential damaging impacts of repealing the ban. A recent national survey found that a strong majority of Americans back Allied Progress’ position. In the survey, nearly 70 percent of all respondents were opposed to allowing oil and gas companies to export more U.S. oil and gas to foreign countries, including 61 percent of Republicans, 69 percent of independents, and 75 percent of Democrats.