NEWS

Forestry, Manufacturing, Petroleum Industries Get House to Pass Bill Delaying Regulations on Boilers

Jeffrey ErnstFriedman | October 14, 2011

Oct. 14, 2011 - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed (by a vote of 275-142) HR 2250, which would delay a ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency on achievable standards for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers, process heaters, and incinerators. The measure was supported by the American Petroleum Institute, the American Chemistry Council, the American Forest & Paper Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The measure was opposed by environmental and health policy groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the American Lung Association.

All House Members

  • Petroleum refining & marketing, Chemicals, Forestry & Forest Products, Paper & pulp mills and paper manufacturing, Manufacturing and Chambers of commerce interest groups, which support this bill, gave on average 3.0 times as much to House members who voted 'YES' ($16,709) as they gave to House members who voted 'NO' ($5,480).
  • Environmental policy and Health & welfare policy interest groups, which oppose this bill, gave on average 4.7 times as much to House members who voted 'NO' ($5,894) as they gave to House members who voted 'YES' ($1,265).

House Democrats

  • Petroleum refining & marketing, Chemicals, Forestry & Forest Products, Paper & pulp mills and paper manufacturing, Manufacturing, and Chambers of commerce interest groups gave on average 3.8 times as much to House Democrats who voted 'YES' ($20,956) as they gave to House Democrats who voted 'NO' ($5,480).
  • Environmental policy and Health & welfare policy interest groups gave on average 74% more to House Democrats who voted 'NO' ($5,894) than to House Democrats who voted 'YES' ($3,382).

House Republicans

  • No House Republicans voted against the bill. Petroleum refining & marketing, Chemicals, Forestry & Forest Products, Paper & pulp mills and paper manufacturing, Manufacturing, and Chambers of commerce interest groups gave on average $15,965 to House Republicans who voted 'YES,' while Environmental policy and Health & welfare policy interest groups gave on average only $894 to House Republicans who voted 'YES.'

METHODOLOGY: MapLight analysis of campaign contributions to House members in office on day of vote, from selected interest groups invested in the vote according to MapLight, January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2010. Contributions data source: OpenSecrets.org