To: National Desk, Energy and Environment reporters

Contact: Toby Chaudhuri or Noreen Nielsen, 202-955-5665, both of Campaign for America's Future

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Republicans in Congress received significantly more money from big oil and despite campaign claims to the contrary, voted overwhelmingly against legislation that would reduce demand for oil and increase clean energy supplies, according to a new report released today by the Campaign for America's Future.

The report identifies key votes on clean energy alternatives in the House and Senate during the 109th Congress. Members of Congress who accepted large campaign contributions from oil interests voted routinely for measures supporting industry over cleaner domestic alternatives.

While Senate Democrats received an average of $1,496 in campaign contributions from big oil, Senate Republicans received an average of $5,425, more than three times as much. House Democrats received $506 each from oil interests compared to the House Republican average of $3,026, nearly six times as much.

"Big oil is paying off members of Congress to stonewall clean energy alternatives, and they are clearly getting their money's worth," said Roger Hickey, co-director of the Campaign for America's Future. "This is vote buying, plain and simple."

The study provides a scorecard rating every member of Congress based on key votes and their campaign financing. The half of the members of the House of Representatives who took less than the median contribution of $3,500 from oil interests earned an average clean energy score of 73 percent. The other half of the House members who took more than the median of $3,500 from oil interests earned an average clean energy score of just 17 percent.

Similarly, the 50 senators who took less than the median big oil contribution of $16,200 received an average clean energy score of 64 percent. The 50 senators who received more than the median $16,200 earned an average clean energy score of only 22 percent.

Authors of the report, Alex Carter and Eric Lotke, point to the growing public demand for a comprehensive clean energy and conservation program. They note that citizens groups like the Apollo Alliance are shining a spotlight on the connection between oil industry campaign contributions and the voting record of candidates for federal and state office.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Media representatives interested in the report can obtain a copy at http://www.ourfuture.org .

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http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/

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