Keystone XL Pipeline: How Much Would 'Huge Political Consequences' From the Oil & Gas Industry Cost?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2012 12:08 PM

CONTACT: Maplight Pamela Heisey Phone: 510-868-0894 Email:  pamela@maplight.org

Keystone XL Pipeline: How Much Would 'Huge Political Consequences' From the Oil & Gas Industry Cost?

WASHINGTON - January 11 - Last week, the head of the American Petroleum Institute, Jack Gerard, delivered a message to President Obama: approve the Keystone XL pipeline or face "huge political consequences." As the president of an energy trade association that bills itself as the only national trade association representing all aspects of America's oil and natural gas industry, Gerard could possess the clout to make good on his threat. In a recent two-year time frame, contributions to current members of the House of Representatives from individuals and PACs connected to the Oil & Gas industry have totaled nearly $12 million.

The decision on the Keystone pipeline has placed the White House between high-contributing environmental policy groups that oppose the creation of the pipeline and sagging poll numbers tied to a troubled economy that would benefit from the creation of new construction projects.

As of now, House Republicans have only been successful in forcing a decision, but not in determining the outcome. On July 26, 2011 the House of Representatives passed  HR 1938, a bill that would direct the President to expedite the consideration and approval of the construction and operation of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, but the measure died in the Senate. However, as part of the payroll tax package signed into law, the White House will ultimately be required to make a decision on whether to approve the pipeline by Feb. 21, 2012. In the event that anyone forgets how long the President has had since the clock started ticking, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has provided one.

• Of the 118 House members who have the Oil & Gas Industry amongst their top 10 contributing industry groups, only two representatives ( Edward Markey and Charles Bass) voted against the deadline on the Keystone pipeline decision imposed in HR 1938.
• Amongst the 195 House members who have the Oil & Gas industry amongst their top 20 contributing interest groups, only 10 voted against the deadline imposed in HR 1938.

Below is a contribution analysis compiled by MapLight revealing which lawmakers' campaign coffers would suffer the most from a retreat by interests connected to the Oil & Gas industry and, for reference, how those lawmakers voted on  HR 1938. The first column in the table represents where the Oil & Gas industry ranks compared to other contributing industries. Contributions from political parties and from other candidates are not included in MapLight's "Top 10" lists.

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

Rank of Oil & Gas as a Contributing Interest Group	Name	Vote on HR 1938	Total (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011)
1st	Rep. Steven Pearce [R, NM-2]	AYE	$370,020
	Rep. Mike Pompeo [R, KS-4]	AYE	$333,156
	Rep. Bill Flores [R, TX-17]	AYE	$266,184
	Rep. Cory Gardner [R, CO-4]	AYE	$205,124
	Rep. Dan Boren [D, OK-2]	AYE	$201,800
	Rep. John Sullivan [R, OK-1]	AYE	$179,200
	Rep. Jeff Landry [R, LA-3]	AYE	$176,050
	Rep. Tim Griffin [R, AR-2]	AYE	$164,709
	Rep. James Lankford [R, OK-5]	AYE	$156,760
	Rep. Rick Berg [R, ND-0]	AYE	$151,561
	Rep. Michael Conaway [R, TX-11]	AYE	$136,850
	Rep. Tim Murphy [R, PA-18]	AYE	$133,700
	Rep. Dennis Rehberg [R, MT-0]	AYE	$133,152
	Rep. Steve Scalise [R, LA-1]	AYE	$125,335
	Rep. Francisco Canseco [R, TX-23]	AYE	$121,767
	Rep. Pete Olson [R, TX-22]	AYE	$106,400
	Rep. Tom Cole [R, OK-4]	AYE	$103,400
	Rep. Cynthia Lummis [R, WY-0]	AYE	$97,750
	Rep. Doc Hastings [R, WA-4]	AYE	$97,171
	Rep. Kevin Brady [R, TX-8]	AYE	$94,900
	Rep. John Culberson [R, TX-7]	AYE	$91,550
	Rep. Kay Granger [R, TX-12]	AYE	$79,850
	Rep. Ted Poe [R, TX-2]	AYE	$79,700
	Rep. Glenn Thompson [R, PA-5]	AYE	$73,600
	Rep. William Thornberry [R, TX-13]	AYE	$68,425
	Rep. Blake Farenthold [R, TX-27]	AYE	$67,600
	Rep. Mike Coffman [R, CO-6]	AYE	$61,250
	Rep. Ralph Hall [R, TX-4]	AYE	$55,208
	Rep. Doug Lamborn [R, CO-5]	AYE	$39,750
	Rep. Rob Bishop [R, UT-1]	AYE	$21,750
2nd	Rep. John Fleming [R, LA-4]	AYE	$203,400
	Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]	AYE	$141,450
	Rep. Bob Gibbs [R, OH-18]	AYE	$78,800
	Rep. Bill Cassidy [R, LA-6]	AYE	$77,000
	Rep. Scott Tipton [R, CO-3]	AYE	$66,250
	Rep. Gregg Harper [R, MS-3]	AYE	$54,250
	Rep. Todd Platts [R, PA-19]	AYE	$6,400
3rd	Rep. Joe Barton [R, TX-6]	AYE	$137,270
	Rep. Charles Boustany [R, LA-7]	AYE	$126,050
	Rep. Stephen Fincher [R, TN-8]	AYE	$98,050
	Rep. Jim Matheson [D, UT-2]	AYE	$90,550
	Rep. Jim Costa [D, CA-20]	AYE	$79,650
	Rep. Lynn Jenkins [R, KS-2]	AYE	$73,250
	Rep. Tim Huelskamp [R, KS-1]	AYE	$64,846
	Rep. Michael McCaul [R, TX-10]	AYE	$63,850
	Rep. Raymond Green [D, TX-29]	AYE	$62,700
	Rep. Michael Burgess [R, TX-26]	AYE	$62,150
	Rep. Dan Benishek [R, MI-1]	AYE	$47,750
	Rep. Louis Gohmert [R, TX-1]	AYE	$43,150
	Rep. Lou Barletta [R, PA-11]	AYE	$40,525
	Rep. Morgan Griffith [R, VA-9]	AYE	$35,150
	Rep. Tom McClintock [R, CA-4]	AYE	$18,600
4th	Rep. Frederick Upton [R, MI-6]	AYE	$120,700
	Rep. Marsha Blackburn [R, TN-7]	AYE	$82,750
	Rep. John Barrow [D, GA-12]	AYE	$80,300
	Rep. John Shimkus [R, IL-19]	AYE	$80,250
	Rep. Frank Lucas [R, OK-3]	AYE	$77,250
	Rep. Alan Nunnelee [R, MS-1]	AYE	$74,550
	Rep. David McKinley [R, WV-1]	AYE	$62,250
	Rep. Daniel Lungren [R, CA-3]	AYE	$61,700
	Rep. Edward Whitfield [R, KY-1]	AYE	$55,500
	Rep. Darrell Issa [R, CA-49]	AYE	$54,500
	Rep. Rick Crawford [R, AR-1]	AYE	$38,922
	Rep. Paul Broun [R, GA-10]	AYE	$28,700
5th	Rep. Kevin McCarthy [R, CA-22]	AYE	$156,100
	Rep. Rodney Alexander [R, LA-5]	AYE	$64,146
	Rep. Todd Young [R, IN-9]	AYE	$47,150
	Rep. William Shuster [R, PA-9]	AYE	$46,250
	Rep. Donald Young [R, AK-0]	AYE	$37,550
	Rep. Bill Johnson [R, OH-6]	AYE	$16,750
6th	Rep. Peter Sessions [R, TX-32]	AYE	$90,950
	Rep. Mike Pence [R, IN-6]	AYE	$68,400
	Rep. Shelley Capito [R, WV-2]	AYE	$60,750
	Rep. Lee Terry [R, NE-2]	AYE	$58,150
	Rep. Devin Nunes [R, CA-21]	AYE	$50,250
	Rep. Adam Kinzinger [R, IL-11]	AYE	$45,400
	Rep. Geoff Davis [R, KY-4]	AYE	$42,750
	Rep. John Carter [R, TX-31]	NV	$40,050
	Rep. Larry Bucshon [R, IN-8]	AYE	$30,200
7th	Rep. Kevin Yoder [R, KS-3]	AYE	$79,550
	Rep. Lamar Smith [R, TX-21]	AYE	$56,000
	Rep. Randy Neugebauer [R, TX-19]	AYE	$47,200
	Rep. Joe Heck [R, NV-3]	AYE	$41,500
	Rep. Diane Black [R, TN-6]	AYE	$40,550
	Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D, TX-20]	AYE	$31,250
	Rep. Michael Simpson [R, ID-2]	AYE	$31,200
	Rep. Jeff Duncan [R, SC-3]	AYE	$25,000
	Rep. Kenny Marchant [R, TX-24]	AYE	$23,900
	Rep. Steve Womack [R, AR-3]	AYE	$20,219
	Rep. Mike Kelly [R, PA-3]	AYE	$18,750
8th	Rep. Greg Walden [R, OR-2]	AYE	$78,100
	Rep. Jeb Hensarling [R, TX-5]	AYE	$72,300
	Rep. Charles Dent [R, PA-15]	AYE	$56,950
	Rep. Timothy Walberg [R, MI-7]	AYE	$38,150
	Rep. Brett Guthrie [R, KY-2]	AYE	$28,400
	Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]	AYE	$16,900
9th	Rep. Michele Bachmann [R, MN-6]	NV	$78,420
	Rep. Scott Garrett [R, NJ-5]	AYE	$42,400
	Rep. Spencer Bachus [R, AL-6]	AYE	$42,000
	Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R, WA-5]	AYE	$36,850
	Rep. Steven Chabot [R, OH-1]	AYE	$36,700
	Rep. Tom Reed [R, NY-29]	AYE	$32,250
	Rep. John Gingrey [R, GA-11]	AYE	$27,500
	Rep. Samuel Johnson [R, TX-3]	AYE	$26,100
	Rep. Joseph Pitts [R, PA-16]	AYE	$25,000
	Rep. Sue Myrick [R, NC-9]	AYE	$24,500
	Rep. Trey Gowdy [R, SC-4]	AYE	$18,250
10th	Rep. Eric Cantor [R, VA-7]	AYE	$144,650
	Rep. Paul Ryan [R, WI-1]	AYE	$57,000
	Rep. Kristi Noem [R, SD-0]	AYE	$50,900
	Rep. Jeff Denham [R, CA-19]	AYE	$33,900
	Rep. Edward Markey [D, MA-7]	NOE	$32,250
	Rep. Vicky Hartzler [R, MO-4]	AYE	$30,600
	Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler [R, WA-3]	AYE	$29,600
	Rep. Charles Bass [R, NH-2]	NOE	$28,850
	Rep. Henry Cuellar [D, TX-28]	AYE	$26,300
	Rep. Jason Chaffetz [R, UT-3]	AYE	$26,000
	Rep. Tom Graves [R, GA-9]	AYE	$25,500

METHODOLOGY: MapLight analysis of campaign contributions to current members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Oil & Gas industry, July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011. Campaign contribution figures and industry classification provided by OpenSecrets.org. Top 10 contributing industry groups calculated by MapLight. Contributions from political parties and from other candidates are not included in MapLight's "Top 10" lists.

If you would like to see further analysis of this data please don't hesitate to contact us, 415-299-0898.

A link to this data release can be found here.

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

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Source URL: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/01/11-3

 

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