Funds for Favors:Exposing Donors’ Influence on Committee Leaders
November 16, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………... 1Methodology……………………………………………………………………………….. 3House Committee on Agriculture
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Chairman: Frank Lucas (R-OK)…...……………………………………………… 4
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Ranking Member: Collin Peterson (D-MN)…………………….………………… 6
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Contribution and Voting Charts…………………………………………………… 8House Committee on Armed Services
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Chairman: Buck McKeon (R-CA)………………………………………………… 9
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Ranking Member: Adam Smith (D-WA)…………………………………………. 11
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Contribution and Voting Charts…………………………………………………… 13House Committee on Education and the Workforce
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Chairman: John Kline (R-MN)……………………………………………………. 14
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Ranking Member: George Miller (D-CA)………………………………………… 16
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Contribution and Voting Charts…………………………………………………… 18House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Chairman: Fred Upton (R-MI)……………………………………………………... 19
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Ranking Member: Henry Waxman (D-CA)……………………………………….. 21
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Contribution and Voting Charts……………………………………………………. 23
House Committee on Financial Services
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Chairman: Spencer Bachus (R-AL)………………………………………………... 24
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Ranking Member: Barney Frank (D-MA)…………………………………………. 26
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Contribution and Voting Charts……………………………………………………. 28House Committee on Homeland Security
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Chairman: Peter King (R-NY)……………………………………………………... 29
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Ranking Member: Bennie Thompson (D-MS)…………………………………….. 31
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Contribution and Voting Charts……………………………………………………. 33House Committee on Judiciary
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Chairman: Lamar Smith (R-TX)…………………………………………………… 34
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Ranking Member: John Conyers (D-MI)…………………………………………... 36
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Contribution and Voting Charts……………………………………………………. 38House Committee on Natural Resources
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Chairman: Doc Hastings (R-WA)………………………………………………….. 39
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Ranking Member: Edward Markey (D-MA)……………………………………… 41Contribution and Voting Charts…………………………………………………… 43House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
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Chairman: Ralph Hall (R-TX)……………………………………………………... 44
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Ranking Member: Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)………………………………... 46
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Contribution and Voting Charts……………………………………………………. 48House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
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Chairman: John Mica (R-FL)……………………………………………………….49
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Ranking Member: Nick Rahall (D-WV)……………………………………………51
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Contribution and Voting Charts……………………………………………………. 53
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Heading a committee in the House of Representatives brings rewards beyond the chanceto write important bills: an increase in campaign contributions from the same industries thosecommittees are supposed to oversee. Research by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics inWashington (CREW) found as members grow in power and seniority, the industries they areresponsible for regulating steer more and more money into their campaign coffers. Thosemembers typically receive especially big jumps in industry donations during the election cycleimmediately before assuming the chairmanship or ranking member position.CREW examined campaign contributions to the current chairmen and ranking membersof 10 committees, analyzing them from the 1998 election cycle through the 2010 election cycle.Industry contributions to those members have skyrocketed during that period, increasing bynearly 600%, far more than the 230% increase in overall contributions to those members duringthe same period.During the 2010 election cycle, the industries examined by CREW donated more than$8.9 million to the chairmen and ranking members responsible for regulating them, making up27% of the chairmen and ranking members’ total contributions. Those members had received just 13% of their campaign contributions from the same industry groups in the 1998 electioncycle, when many were still relatively junior members of the committees they later rose to lead.With a few exceptions, CREW’s findings held true across industries, committees, andparty affiliation, illustrating just how deeply the pay-to-play culture has penetrated the House of Representatives. For instance, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), the ranking member of theAgriculture Committee has seen his donations from agriculture industries soar by 711% since1998. That dwarfs the rate of growth of his total contributions, which grew by 274% over thesame period. On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), chairman of theFinancial Services Committee, has experienced a 620% increase in donations from the financialservices industries since 1998. Overall, contributions to his campaign increased by 234%.Notably, Rep. Bachus earned nearly two-thirds of his total campaign contributions during the2010 election cycle from industries regulated by his committee.CREW also found that since 2007, many committee leaders voted in agreement with theindustries they regulate a majority of the time. In some cases, committee leaders voted
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CREW: Funds for Favors Report: Exposing Donor's Influence on Committee Leaders (11/16/11)
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