Oily influences on US energy legislation

A study done by the Center for American Progress (CAP) shows a strong correlation between Big Oil political contributions and votes on energy legislation which eliminates $16 billion in oil company tax breaks and royalty relief.

The 221 House members who voted for the House energy bill received around $5.8 million in total from the oil and gas industry between 1989 and 2006 while the 189 House members who voted against the bill received more than $20.6 million over the same period. We need a separation of oil and state!

According to the CAP study, this shows that “representatives who receive significantly more oil and gas campaign contributions were significantly more likely to oppose a tax package that invests in clean energy for vehicles, fuels, and electricity. Given big oil’s $29 million in direct campaign contributions to representatives, it is unsurprising that when big oil knocks, many representatives answer the call.”