On Tuesday, the League of Conservation Voters took the extraordinary step of releasing a Continuing Resolution Special Edition National Environmental Scorecard, revealing member scores for environmental, public health, and energy votes taken on amendments to the House-passed spending bill. For 40 years, the National Environmental Scorecard issued by LCV has been the nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental, public health and energy issues. This is the first time LCV has released a Special Edition Scorecard on a single piece of legislation and its corresponding amendments.
The Continuing Resolution's sweeping assaults on the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the wildlife and wild places Americans hold dear make it the most anti-environmental piece of legislation in recent memory. The depth and breadth of the anti-environmental amendments to this legislation is truly astounding, which is why LCV has taken the extraordinary step of creating a Continuing Resolution Special Edition National Environmental Scorecard.
The Special Edition Scorecard includes 25 votes, 20 of which were amendments to make the underlying bill even worse. This includes several amendments offered to block the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting public health and holding polluters accountable. Other amendments would cut funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency, climate change research, lands conservation and restoration, and other important environmental programs.
86 members earned a perfect score of 100% on this Special Edition Scorecard, which is especially impressive given the volume of votes, while 74 members earned an appalling score of 0%.
President Obama has already made clear that he will veto legislation that undermines "critical priorities," which this bill so clearly does. Senator Reid has also stated that these backdoor policy riders have no place in a budget bill. We commend their leadership and urge the House Republican leadership to reverse course and work with the Senate and President Obama to pass a bill that maintains vital protections for our air, water, wildlife, and wild places for generations to come.
The full Continuing Resolution Special Edition National Environmental Scorecard can be found at www.lcv.org/scorecard-specialedition