This NY Times article reports on the successful lobbying effort by the oil and gas industry in the mid-1990’s during a time of low energy prices to persuade Congress to create incentives for energy companies to explore for oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico.
Congress passes legislation to create the incentives, but the legislators don’t bother to read the legislation carefully.
During the current period of relatively high energy prices, the oil and gas companies take advantage of the legislation to make a lot more money through paying reduced royalties to the government than they would otherwise have made without the legislation.
Journalists point this out to legislators.
Hilarity ensues.