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DATA RELEASE: Senators Voting to Block EPA Rules Received 17 Times as Much Money from the Coal Mining Industry

Submitted by Bret Hendry on Nov 19, 2015


Rob Crandall/Shutterstock

November 19, 2015 -- On November 17, 2015, the Senate passed joint resolutions S.J.Res.23 and S.J.Res.24, each by an identical vote of 52-46. These resolutions block Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules designed to address climate change: S.J.Res.23 strikes an EPA rule on greenhouse gas emissions, while S.J.Res.24 strikes an EPA rule on carbon pollution emission guidelines. The votes come ahead of an international climate change summit that will begin in Paris on November 30. According to data gathered by MapLight:

    • Senators voting for the EPA rule-blocking resolutions received, on average, 17 times as much money ($75,802) from the coal mining industry compared to senators voting against them ($4,464) between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2015. Tweet: Senators voting to block #ClimateChange resolutions received 17x more money from the #coal mining industry http://bit.ly/1NEm5Kb @MapLight

  • Thirteen senators received more than $100,000 from the coal mining industry between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2015. All voted YES on both resolutions: S.J.Res.23 and S.J.Res.24. Tweet: 13 senators received >$100K from the #coal mining industry, all voted to block #ClimateChange resolutions: http://bit.ly/1NEm5Kb @MapLight

Methodology: MapLight analysis of campaign contributions from PACs and employees of the coal mining industry to members of the U.S. Senate from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2015. Contributions and interest group data source: OpenSecrets.org.

MapLight is a 501(c)3 research organization that tracks money's influence on politics.