05/06/11 11:55am

Article By: Climate Progress

CAP’s Kristen Bartoloni in a Wonk Room cross-post.

On Wednesday, 26 House Republicans launched an energy coalition called the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) as a vehicle for the GOP (Grand Oil Party) to tout their oil above all energy agenda.

The team’s name is sadly appropriate, as their agenda will accelerate the greenhouse pollution that is dangerously heating up our planet. Texas Republican Bill Flores, who received over $200,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, explained that their “all of the above” approach means expanding oil and gas drilling:

We desperately need the stability that comes from pursuing an all-of-the-above energy plan, which includes unlocking access and tapping into the vast amounts of taxpayer-owned energy resources both on our public lands and off our coasts.

It’s no surprise that HEAT will be focused on the oil industry wishlist. A Think Progress analysis of campaign contributions revealed that members of HEAT received a whopping $4 million from the oil and gas industry over the course of their careers:

“HEAT must stand for Help Exxon Avoid Taxes,” Center for American Progress Action Fund Senior Fellow Daniel Weiss says. Every member except for Capito, who did not cast a vote, voted to continue Big Oil’s $40 billion in subsidies earlier this year.

– Kristen Bartoloni, Researcher for the ThinkProgress.

This is a cross-post from Climate Progress.
 

Original Post: http://climateprogress.org/2011/05/06/gop-heat-task-force-have-received-over-4-million-from-big-oil/