24 senators introducing bill to kill FCC Internet privacy rules received a combined $2.29M from industry PACs

All 24 senators introducing a bill to let telecoms companies sell your private internet history received a combined $2,286,375 from communications and electronics PACs.

Twenty-four US recently introduced a bill that would allow telecommunications companies to sell users’ browsing histories to third parties.

The bill, S.J.Res.34, was introduced by Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), states that “Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to ‘Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services’ relates to ‘Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and other Telecommunications Services.'”

According to Privacy News Online, the bill “aims to completely dismantle the FCC’s ability to enact data security or online privacy protections for consumers under the powers of the Congressional Review Act.”

Every single one of the senators cosponsoring the bill, who happen to be all Republicans, received donations from Political Action Committees (PACs) that represent the telecoms industry totaled at about $2.3 million, according to the number-crunchers at Open Secrets.

Before getting to the breakdown on donations, it is worthy to mention that the scope of this article focuses on the relationship between the senators introducing the bill and the money they received from telecoms and electronics companies PACs.

It is not to imply that the telecoms industry favors one political party over another.

The senator with the largest donation is Roy Blunt, who received $302,250 from Communications/Electronics PACs, followed by John Thune with $255,500.

On the lower spectrum are Senator Ted Cruz with $5,000 and James Inhofe with $5,500.

The average amount received among the 24 senators was $95,265 apiece.

Here is a breakdown of how much money each senator received from the Communications and Electronics PACs, according to Open Secrets. All information is based on Federal Election Commission data available electronically on Wednesday, February 01, 2017.

John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)

Printing & Publishing $1,000
TV/Movies/Music $4,500
Telephone Utilities $3,000
Telecom Services $1,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $2,000
Internet $6,000

Total: $18,000

Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.)

TV/Movies/Music $10,000
Telephone Utilities $2,000
Telecom Services $8,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $29,000
Internet $11,000

Total: $60,500

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

Printing & Publishing $15,500
TV/Movies/Music $62,000
Telephone Utilities $32,500
Telecom Services $91,750
Electronics Mfg & Equip $71,500
Internet $29,000

Total: $302,250

John Boozman (R-Ark.)

Printing & Publishing $3,000
TV/Movies/Music $29,500
Telephone Utilities $25,000
Telecom Services $34,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $33,500
Internet $5,500

Total: $130,500

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

TV/Movies/Music $1,000
Telephone Utilities $1,000
Telecom Services $1,000
Internet $6,000

Total: $9,000

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

Telephone Utilities $6,300
Telecom Services $2,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $9,000

Total: $17,300

John Cornyn (R-Texas)

TV/Movies/Music $2,000
Telecom Services $2,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $11,000
Internet $8,500

Total: $24,000

Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)

Telephone Utilities $4,000
Telecom Services $1,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $1,000
Internet $3,000

Total: $9,500

Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

Telephone Utilities $5,000

Total: $5,000

Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)

TV/Movies/Music $4,800
Telephone Utilities $17,750
Telecom Services $38,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $4,500
Internet $13,000

Total: $78,550

Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)

Printing & Publishing $3,500
TV/Movies/Music $9,500
Telephone Utilities $5,000
Telecom Services $11,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $14,500
Internet $8,000

Total: $51,500

Dean Heller (R-Nev.)

Printing & Publishing $1,000
TV/Movies/Music $21,000
Telephone Utilities $15,000
Telecom Services $18,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $16,000
Internet $15,000

Total: $86,500

James Inhofe (R-Okla.)

TV/Movies/Music $3,000
Telephone Utilities $1,000
Telecom Services $2,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $-500

Total: $5,500

Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.)

Printing & Publishing $3,000
TV/Movies/Music $20,500
Telephone Utilities $24,000
Telecom Services $58,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $24,000
Internet $21,500

Total: $151,000

Mike Lee (R-Utah)

TV/Movies/Music $35,000
Telephone Utilities $11,500
Telecom Services $32,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $34,670
Internet $38,000

Total: $151,670

Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

TV/Movies/Music $1,000
Telephone Utilities $19,000
Telecom Services $21,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $12,500
Internet $8,000

Total: $61,500

Pat Roberts (R-Kan.)

Printing & Publishing $1,500
TV/Movies/Music $0
Telephone Utilities $2,000
Telecom Services $2,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $9,000

Total: $15,000

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

Printing & Publishing $1,000
TV/Movies/Music $19,610
Telephone Utilities $22,000
Telecom Services $53,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $37,315
Internet $14,500

Total: $147,425

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

Printing & Publishing $2,000
TV/Movies/Music $2,000
Telephone Utilities $10,000
Telecom Services $19,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $8,500
Internet $11,000

Total: $52,500

Dan Sullivan (R-Ala.)

TV/Movies/Music $3,000
Telephone Utilities $10,000
Telecom Services $11,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $-2,500
Internet $1,000

Total: $22,500

John Thune (R-S.D.)

Printing & Publishing $5,000
TV/Movies/Music $48,000
Telephone Utilities $31,000
Telecom Services $103,000
Electronics Mfg & Equip $53,500
Internet $15,000

Total: $255,500

Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)

Printing & Publishing $5,000
TV/Movies/Music $6,000
Telephone Utilities $9,000
Telecom Services $17,500
Electronics Mfg & Equip $1,000
Internet $10,000

Total: $48,500

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Printing & Publishing $0
TV/Movies/Music $12,500
Telephone Utilities $27,000
Telecom Services $77,750
Electronics Mfg & Equip $26,000
Internet $23,500

Total: $166,750