The Facts
“You say you want to serve your country by running as a candidate for Congress today? Show me the money. Otherwise, you will be shown the door.”
- Bob KerreyFormer Senator from Nebraska
ACR Chair
Money in Politics and the Environment
Download this fact sheet as a PDF
Energy Industry Invests $3 billion in Washington
- The energy industry, including oil and gas, electric utilities, mining, and waste management, contributed $455 million to federal candidates between 1990-2006
- The energy industry spent $2.3 billion to lobby the federal government between 1998-2008
- 63% of energy industry contributions between 1990-2008 came from PACs and soft money; the remaining 37% came in large individual contributions
- Members of the U.S. House and Senate received an average of $43,658 and $161,423, respectively, in 2008 energy industry contributions as of July 28, 2008
Energy Industry Outspends Environment 20:1
- The energy industry contributed $20 to federal candidates for every $1 contributed by environmental groups between 1990-2008
- The energy industry spent $225 million to lobby the federal government in 2008 compared with $11 million by environmental groups, a factor of 21:1
- The disparity in energy industry versus environmental contributions to members of Congress rose to 30:1 in the lead-up to landmark 2005 energy legislation
Energy Money Targets Regulators, Incumbents
- 82% of energy industry contributions in 2008 were given to incumbents in both parties
- Eight of the top ten House recipients in 2008 were members of the House Natural Resources, Energy & Commerce, and Transportation committees responsible for energy policy; the remaining two top recipients were members of senior leadership in both parties
- Eight of the top ten Senate recipients in 2008 were members of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources, Environment & Public Works, and Transportation committees (excluding presidential candidates)
- The average contribution to top ten recipients was $280,000 and $393,000 for House and Senate, respectively, or between 3-6 times the congressional average
Energy Money Follows Partisan Trends
- Although overall energy industry contributions favored Republicans between 1990-2008, the proportion given to each party followed partisan trends
- When Democrats controlled Congress, they received an average of 40% of total contributions, compared with 26% when they were in the minority
Source: Center for Responsive Politics analysis of campaign finance disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission, 1990-2008
