New Tool for Reporting on Politics and Money

The people at MAPLight.org have come up with yet another innovative reporting aid. The Committees Tool let's you look at key bills and see how much money different special interest groups have donated to committee members and who received the dough. Here's an example:

SPOTLIGHT on H.R. 5632, which would prohibit importation of radioactive waste, in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
H.R. 5632 would effectively prohibit the importation of radioactive waste into the United States. Energy Solutions, a nuclear waste management company, is currently seeking a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to import 20,000 tons of radioactive waste from Italy. Currently the bill has been stuck in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on Ways and Means since it was introduced on March 13, 2008. MAPLight.org's 'Committees Tool' reveals special interest money given to each member of these Committees. The nuclear plant construction, equipment & services industry, which is trying to block passage of the bill, has given John Dingell (D, MI-15), Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, $45,250. Environmental policy groups, which support passage of this bill, have given significantly less, just $3,760 to Dingell.

Pretty slick. Another benefit is that this isn't just for "political" reporters. I can think of a lot of reporting areas where this could help. For example, if you're covering an industry or specific company, or your beat is an area such as environmental, business, consumer, or the arts, the information here could be a great addition to a story on a topic or even provide a springboard for a story idea.