Michigan’s Camp and Upton were top recipients

Washington, D.C.—The six House members of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction received at least $126,800 from oil and gas interests in the third quarter of 2011, according to Public Campaign analysis of Federal Election Committee (FEC) data released today by the group and Oil Change International. With ending oil subsidies on the table for the so-called “supercommittee,” will these donations influence the debate?

“The American people want a deficit reduction plan that is balanced and free of the influence of Big Oil and other special interests,” said David Donnelly, national campaigns director for Public Campaign. “That’s hard to do when our elected officials are courting big money donors and they get access that regular people don’t.”

“The vast majority of Americans of both Parties support the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, but they also believe that Congress is more responsive to their donors than their constituents.  We’ll all find out by November 23rd if Congress listens to Big Oil’s money or the American people,” said Stephen Kretzmann, executive director of Oil Change International.

Key Facts:

• The six members received $178,200 from the energy and natural resource sector from July 1 to September 30, 2011, with 71 percent of that coming from oil and gas donors. Of the $126,800 in oil and gas money, 72% came from political action committees (PACs).
• Michigan Rep. Dave Camp (R) was the top House recipient of energy and oil and gas money on the supercommittee. In fact, his total oil and gas receipts in the third quarter (at least $71,000) were almost double the combined contributions from these interests in the first two quarters of the year.
• Added to the first half of the year, supercommittee members have raised at least $223,850 from oil and gas interests in 2011.
• The Washington Post reported in September that 40 former aides to supercommittee members now work as lobbyists for energy industry clients.

3rd Quarter Fundraising By Committee Member

Largest Oil Industry Donors
(Totals include giving by PACs and company employees)

At the beginning of October, Oil Change International and 51 additional organizations sent a letter to supercommittee members urging them to end oil subsidies as part of the deficit committee. On Monday, 35 U.S. House members also called for ending the subsidies.  Yesterday, 14 Senate Democrats joined that call, although the Senate proposal would only eliminate subsidies to the five biggest oil companies.

“It’s particularly interesting to note that the Independent Petroleum Association of America is giving so heavily,” said Kretzmann.  “It seems they have already succeeded in taking subsidies to their members off the table in the Senate.  We certainly hope that House Members maintain their resolve in eliminating all fossil fuel subsidies”

Public Campaign and Oil Change International joined with nearly two-dozen organizations in August urging supercommittee members to give up fundraising while on the committee. So far, just Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is the only one to give up fundraising while serving on the committee.

Analysis of Senate supercommittee fundraising is ongoing, as they do not file reports electronically.

Background on Senate letter.

Background on Subsidies and independent petroleum producers.