FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2017
Contact: Katie Todd; katie@nclcv.org; 919-244-5868
Majority of N.C. Congressional Delegation Supports Pro-Polluter Agenda in 2016
Most earn dismal scores in League of Conservation Voters Environmental Scorecard
RALEIGH: Today, the N.C. League of Conservation Voters shares its disappointment in the dismal environmental voting records by the majority of the state’s Congressional representation in the wake of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) 2016 National Environmental Scorecard release. The scores reveal that the majority of North Carolina’s delegation cares more about protecting corporate polluters than the people and natural resources of their home state.
Overall, North Carolina’s delegation voted consistently against legislation to protect water quality, reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, and address the threats posed by our changing climate. North Carolina’s 2016 Representatives earned an average score of 24 (out of 100) while the state’s Senators averaged an equally disheartening 21. Eight of North Carolina’s 13 Congressional delegation members earned the worst score possible: 0. This means that they cast no pro-environmental votes despite having 38 opportunities to do the right thing.
“North Carolina voters expect their leaders in Washington D.C. to do what is best for them here at home,” noted Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations for N.C. League of Conservation Voters. “Unfortunately, the majority of our representatives failed to recall this core job responsibility. From rolling back safeguards for our air and water to trying to undermine clean energy advancements, members like Reps. Virginia Foxx and George Holding put polluters’ agendas ahead of the health of North Carolinians, environmental protections, and severe weather actions. Fortunately, environmental allies like Reps. Alma Adams and David Price consistently stood up to these radical attacks.”
The 2016 Scorecard scores votes cast during the second session of the 114th Congress and includes 17 Senate votes and 38 House votes, setting a new record for the most votes scored in the House. Based on the prevailing scores, the U.S. House in 2016 proved to be the most anti-environmental in our nation’s history. The average House Republican score for 2016 was five percent, while the average House Democrat score was 94 percent. The Scorecard is available in both English and Spanish at scorecard.lcv.org.
Fortunately, the number of environmental champions in Congress continues to grow, and they are becoming more vocal and effective than ever before. National environmental allies stood up for clean air and water public lands, climate science, wildlife, and more. They fought for the health of American families and voted against the interests of Big Polluters.
The release of LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard comes at a time when attacks on the environment are already coming fast and furious from polluter allies in both the Trump administration and Congress. While the attacks contained in the 2016 Scorecard were largely prevented from becoming law thanks to opposition in the Senate and former President Obama’s veto pen, those attacks serve as a preview of what’s at stake now that the fossil fuel lobby has an ally in the White House.
“2016 saw a relentless assault on both bedrock environmental protections and recent progress even as we experienced the hottest year on record – for the third year in a row – and world leaders came together on Earth Day to sign the historic climate agreement reached in Paris,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “Fortunately, President Obama and our allies in Congress beat back the vast majority of these attacks and stood up for the health of our families, communities of color on the frontlines of climate change, and the international consensus to take action on climate.”
The 2016 North Carolina delegation’s environmental voting scores (all scores based on range of 0 – 100):
Senator Richard Burr: 24
Senator Thom Tillis: 18
Rep. G.K. Butterfield: 89
Rep. Renee Ellmers: 0
Rep. Walter Jones: 21
Rep. David Price: 100
Rep. Virginia Foxx: 0
Rep. Mark Walker: 0
Rep. David Rouzer: 0
Rep. Richard Hudson: 0
Rep. Robert Pittenger: 0
Rep. Patrick McHenry: 3
Rep. Mark Meadows: 0
Rep. Alma Adams: 100
Rep. George Holding: 0
For over 40 years, the National Environmental Scorecard issued by LCV has been the nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress of environmental, public health, and energy issues. For more information, visit http://scorecard.lcv.org.
###
NC League of Conservation Voters is a nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment and our citizen’s health for nearly 50 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV’s vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina’s economy and quality of life. Visit nclcv.org for more information.
