Trucking Ranks Eighth in Donations to Senate Commerce Panel Members

Trucking was the eighth-largest contributor to members of the Senate Commerce Committee over the last six years, according to campaign finance reports.

Federal Election Commission records analyzed by the Center for Responsive Politics found that individuals and political action committees with ties to trucking gave $818,586 to committee members. The center is a nonprofit group advocating campaign finance reform.

With $2,983,233 in contributions, the oil and gas industry was the largest donor to the group of senators who oversee all modes of transportation, including pipelines, and telecommunications.

The air transport industry distributed $946,221, making it the sixth-largest industry contributor. Transportation unions were seventh with $925,039 in donations; maritime interests were ninth with $706,563; and railroads ranked 11th with $573,011.

Federal Express Corp., was the second-largest campaign donor to Commerce Committee members, giving $195,705. With both trucking and air operations, the company had numerous issues before the panel, as did its competitor, United Parcel Service.

UPS was ranked eighth, dispensing $155,800 to help committee members get re-elected.

Union Pacific Corp. was the fourth-largest contributor, with $185,148. Since 1993, the committee has killed the Interstate Commerce Committee and continued the deregulation of trucking. Union Pacific owns both Union Pacific Railroad and Overnite Transportation.

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