2007 National Environmental Scorecard Reflects a Desper
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2007 FIRST SESSION 110TH CONGRESS national environmental SCORECARD League of conservation voters | www.Lcv.org LCV BOARD OF DIRECTORS * John H. Adams Wade Greene (Honorary) Jonathan Poisner Founding Director, Philanthropy Advisor, Executive Director, Natural Resources Defense Council Rockefeller Family & Associates Oregon League of Conservation Voters Marcia Aronoff Lisa Guthrie Lana Pollack Vice President for Programs, Executive Director, President, Environmental Defense Virginia League of Conservation Voters Michigan Environmental Council Paul Austin Jay Harris Bill Roberts, Chair Executive Director, Changing Horizons Fund Executive Director, Conservation Minnesota & Conservation Rampa R. Hormel Beldon Fund Minnesota Voter Center President, Larry Rockefeller Brent Blackwelder (Honorary) Global Environment Project Institute President, President, John Hunting (Honorary) American Conservation Association Friends of the Earth Chair, Theodore Roosevelt IV, (Honorary Chair) The Honorable Sherwood Boehlert Beldon Fund Managing Director, Accord Group John Hunting and Associates Lehman Brothers The Honorable Carol Browner Tom Kiernan, Treasurer Donald K. Ross Principal, President, Rockefeller Family & Associates The Albright Group, LLC National Parks Conservation Association Rodger O. Schlickeisen, Vice-Chair Marcia Bystryn William H. Meadows III President, Executive Director, President, Defenders of Wildlife New York League of Conservation Voters The Wilderness Society Peggy Shepard Brownie Carson Jorge Mursuli Executive Director, Executive Director, Vice President for Hispanic Affairs and Florida West Harlem Environmental Action Natural Resources Council of Maine Director, (WE ACT) Carrie Clark People for the American Way Susan Smartt, Secretary Executive Director, Scott A. Nathan Executive Director, Conservation Council of North Carolina Managing Director, California League of Conservation Voters George Frampton, Jr. The Baupost Group, LLP Lynde B. Uihlein Partner, John D. Podesta President, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP President and CEO, Brico Fund LLC Center for American Progress LCV ISSUES & AccOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE * Marcia Aronoff Lana Pollack Environmental Defense Michigan Environmental Council Brent Blackwelder Wesley Warren Friends of the Earth Natural Resources Defense Council Marcia Bystryn New York League of Conservation Voters LCV SCORECARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE * Anna Aurilio David Jenkins Erich Pica Environment America Republicans for Environmental Protection Friends of the Earth Kevin Curtis Adam Kolton Melinda Pierce Pew Environment Group National Wildlife Federation Sierra Club Mike Daulton Linda Lance Cindy Shogan National Audubon Society The Wilderness Society Alaska Wilderness League Robert Dewey Craig Lasher Elizabeth Thompson Defenders of Wildlife Population Action International Environmental Defense Blake Early Craig Obey Karen Wayland American Lung Association National Parks Conservation Association Natural Resources Defense Council Marty Hayden Nancy Perry Marchant Wentworth Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund The Humane Society of the United States Union of Concerned Scientists * Organizations are shown for identification purposes only he nonprofit League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has CONTENTS published a National Environmental Scorecard every Con- gress since 1970, the year it was founded by leaders of the 1. ANALYSIS environmental movement following the first Earth Day. TAs the independent political voice for the environment, LCV advocates for Overview of the 1st sound environmental policies and works to elect pro-environment candi- Session of the 110th dates who help implement such policies. Congress 2 This edition of the National Environmental Scorecard provides objec- Voting Summary 4 tive, factual information about the most important environmental legis- lation considered and the corresponding voting records of all Members of the first session of the 110th Congress. This Scorecard represents the 2. SENATE SCORES consensus of experts from about 20 respected environmental and conser- Vote Descriptions 8 vation organizations who selected the key votes on which Members of Congress should be graded. LCV scores votes on the most important is- Senate Votes 12 sues of the year, including energy, global warming, environmental health and safety protections, resource conservation, and spending for environ- 3. HOUSE SCORES mental programs. The votes included in this Scorecard presented Mem- bers of Congress with a real choice and help distinguish which legislators Vote Descriptions 19 are working for environmental protection. Except in rare circumstances, House Votes 24 the Scorecard excludes consensus action on the environment and issues on which no recorded votes occurred. Dedicated environmentalists and national leaders volunteered their 4. INDEX time to identify and research crucial votes. We extend special thanks to Members of the our Board of Directors, Issues & Accountability Committee, and Score- 1st Session of the card Advisory Committee for their valuable input. 110th Congress 41 Edited by Louis Bayard, Barbara Gonzalez-McIntosh, Tim Greeff, Gene Karpinski, Tony Massaro, Bethany Rogerson and Tiernan Sittenfeld. Design by Sarah McPhie, Cutting Edge Design. Published February 2008 by the League of Conservation Vot- ers. All rights reserved. For additional copies or information about joining LCV, please contact us at: 1920 L Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Phone: (202) 785-8683; Fax: (202) 835-0491; Email: [email protected]. Full Scorecard information is also available online at www.lcv.org/scorecard. 20052007 OVERVIEW OVERVIEW The League of Conservation Voters 2007 National Environmental Scorecard reflects a desper- ately needed Congressional down payment on environmental change — not just for the future of the planet and human health, but also for the economy, consumers, and national security. Indeed, 2007 may well be remembered as a turning point for the environment, and especially for clean energy and global warming. After years of backward-looking legislation that only increased our dependence on fossil fuels, the House and Senate finally began moving toward a clean energy future during the first session of the 110th Congress. The progress of 2007 was largely due to new leader- The new members who defeated them have a combined ship in both the House and the Senate and to the many average score of 88 percent. new members who came to Congress determined to Without a doubt, the biggest environmental high- bring about a clean energy future. In addition to work- light of 2007 was the passage and enactment into law ing hard to enact policies that protect the environment of H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act. It and public health, LCV works to elect pro-environ- raises the overall fuel economy of cars and light trucks ment candidates who will help implement such poli- to 35 miles per gallon by 2020— the first fuel economy cies, and the 2006 elections were remarkably successful increase of new cars, SUVs, and other light trucks since on that front. We are delighted that not only do the 1975. This increase will save more than 1.1 million bar- LCV-endorsed members of the Congressional class of rels of oil per day in 2020 and reduce global warming 2006 have an impressive average score of 87 percent pollution by almost 200 million metric tons per year, (compared with just 53 percent for the Congress as a which is equivalent to approximately 3 percent of U.S. whole), but many of them also championed key legisla- emissions in 2005. The new energy law also includes im- tive priorities. portant incentives and standards for efficiency in build- The 2006 elections were also a great success for LCV’s ings and homes. In addition, it contains new light bulb trademark Dirty Dozen program, which targets current efficiency standards that will reduce global warming and former members of Congress — regardless of party pollution by 100 million metric tons per year by 2030, affiliation — who consistently vote against the environ- which is equivalent to approximately 1 percent of U.S. ment and are running in races where LCV has a seri- emissions in 2005. ous chance of affecting the outcome. Our campaigns While the new energy law represents real progress, helped defeat 9 out of 13 Dirty Dozen members who it failed to include important provisions passed by the had a combined average lifetime score of just 8 percent. House. Unfortunately, a minority of senators forced the 007 National Environmental Scorecard · LCV removal of the renewable electricity standard requir- Committee passed America’s Climate Security Act out ing that 15 percent of our energy come from renewable of committee (it was not debated on the Senate floor sources by 2020. Additionally, the provision to repeal in 2007). 1. AN billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil companies and While the 2007 Scorecard is largely focused on en- A LYSIS put the funds toward clean, renewable energy fell one ergy and global warming, the House once again passed vote short of the 60 votes needed in the Senate. Con- numerous pro-environment amendments to the Inte- gress clearly has more work to do to ensure a clean en- rior-Environment Appropriations bill, including provi- ergy future, including passing a strong renewable elec- sions to strengthen clean air protections, stop subsidies tricity standard and a progressive tax package — both for building logging roads in Alaska’s Tongass Rain- of which are critical for creating new jobs in a new forest, and prevent