Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY): $781K From Oil and Gas in 2024, Then Legislation Repealing EV Credits and Locking In Oil Extraction Subsidies

Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) has built one of the Senate’s most consistent alignments between fossil fuel industry campaign donations and energy legislation. In the 2024 election cycle alone, Barrasso received $781,381 from the oil and gas industry, according to campaign finance data. That same cycle, he introduced and then passed legislation repealing the $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit, expanding federal tax credits for carbon capture used in oil and natural gas recovery, and blocking U.S. participation in any future international climate agreements, all while voting for a broader bill that a nonpartisan study found would cost Wyoming 12,000 health coverage slots and shrink the state’s economy by $140 million over five years.

Who the Major Donors Are

According to an analysis of OpenSecrets data by the Western Values Project, Barrasso had received $1,145,191 from the oil and gas industry through 2020. In the 2024 election cycle, Electrek reported that figure reached $781,381 for that cycle alone, drawing on campaign finance records. Supporting organizations that explicitly backed his 2025 energy legislation include the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, and the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance.

Barrasso sits on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. As Senate Majority Whip, the second-ranking Senate Republican, he has significant influence over which energy bills reach the floor for a vote.

Votes and Legislative Actions Aligned With Donor Interests

Eliminating Lavish Incentives to Electric Vehicles Act (ELITE Vehicles Act). Barrasso introduced the ELITE Vehicles Act to repeal the $7,500 federal tax credit for new electric vehicles, eliminate the credit for used EVs, and wipe out the federal investment tax credit for EV charging stations. The legislation was incorporated into H.R.1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which the Senate passed 51-50 on July 1, 2025, with Vice President Vance casting the tiebreaking vote. President Trump signed the bill into law on July 4, 2025. Removing EV subsidies slows adoption of electric vehicles, preserving the market position of gasoline-powered transportation and, by extension, oil demand.

Enhancing Energy Recovery Act (S.425). In February 2025, Barrasso introduced the Enhancing Energy Recovery Act, which equalized the Section 45Q carbon capture tax credit to provide the same rate for carbon captured for enhanced oil and gas recovery as for permanent geological sequestration, raising the credit from $60 per metric ton to $85. The Independent Petroleum Association of America stated publicly that the bill ensures “equal tax treatment for using CO2 to recover oil and gas.” This provision was also incorporated into the One Big Beautiful Bill and signed into law.

No Climate Treaties Act (S.3713). On January 28, 2026, Barrasso led 23 fellow senators in introducing the No Climate Treaties Act, which would require a two-thirds Senate supermajority vote to ratify any international climate agreement, including the Paris Agreement, and restrict federal funds from being used to implement any unapproved climate treaty. The bill was introduced the same week the U.S. formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement.

2020 oil royalty letter. In March 2020, Barrasso co-signed a letter to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt requesting the suspension or reduction of federal royalties paid to the U.S. Treasury by oil and gas producers, framing the request as relief for small and mid-size producers. The Western Values Project analysis found that oil and gas ranked among the top six donor industries for each senator who signed that letter.

What This Cost Wyoming Constituents

The One Big Beautiful Bill that Barrasso voted for cut federal Medicaid spending by an estimated $793 billion over ten years nationally, per the Congressional Budget Office. A nonpartisan economic study commissioned by the Wyoming Hospital Association, the Wyoming Community Foundation, the Natrona Collective Health Trust, and Banner Wyoming Medical Center found the following projected impacts for Wyoming specifically:

• At least 12,000 Wyoming residents are projected to lose health coverage.
• Wyoming’s economy is projected to shrink by $140 million over five years.
• The state would lose approximately 192 jobs per year, with more than half in healthcare.
• State GDP would decline by an estimated $27.8 million annually.
• Residents’ disposable personal income would fall by $14.6 million per year.

The hardest-hit areas identified in the study are Casper and Cheyenne, Wyoming’s two largest cities.

On clean energy, analysis by Evergreen Action found that the same bill would raise average household electricity costs by $110 to $400 annually and put approximately 760,000 clean energy jobs at risk nationally by 2030.

What You Can Do

The Senate’s next election cycle offers Wyomingites the opportunity to examine their senator’s legislative record before voting. Regardless of party, voters can contact Barrasso’s office directly to share positions on energy policy, healthcare, or any issue covered in this report.

You can also track votes, donor data, and legislative records using the resources on our take action page, and sign up to be notified when we publish new accountability reports.