By Staff
Alabama Political Reporter
Democratic U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell is the only member of Alabama’s Congressional delegation that scored a passing grade this year on the League of Conservation Voters’ National Environmental Scorecard, a rating used to track lawmakers’ votes on environmental, public health and energy issues.
Sewell earned the highest score among the nine member’s of Alabama’s Congressional delegation, receiving a 91 percent score from the League of Conservation Voters. U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican, scored a 6 percent, while the remaining 8 members of the delegation took home a zero, meaning they voted against natural resources and environmental issues every time they cast a vote.
“As the attacks on our country’s natural resources mounted in Washington, Rep. Terri Sewell stood up for clean water and public lands,” said Tammy Herrington, Executive Director of Conservation Alabama, the state affiliate of the League of Conservation Voters. “We need representatives like her now more than ever. But no matter what Congress does, we’ll continue to win right here at home when we fight for Alabamians’ right to access our public lands.”
Newly elected Sen. Doug Jones, also a Democrat, was not rated on this year’s scorecard.
Alabama was one of 16 states for which both senators earned a 0 percent score. The League of Conservation Voters said the Republican members of the delegation voted on laws that would jeopardize local drinking water supplies near coal mines and prevent conservation and outdoor groups like the recreation industry from having input on the management of public land.
“In a year where devastating hurricanes and wildfires showed why the need to fight climate change is so urgent, Congress instead inflicted lasting damage on our communities by reversing clean water protections, confirming industry favorites to key environmental posts and opening up the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling,” said LCV Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “Our environmental champions are more important than ever as the administration’s hostility toward our communities continues to grow.”
The 2017 National Environmental Scorecard highlights the environmental voting record of each member of Congress during the first session of this Congress. It surveyed 35 different House votes and 19 different Senate votes.
House of Representative Scores:
- AL-1: Byrne – 0
- AL-2: Roby – 0
- AL-3: Rogers – 0
- AL-4: Aderholt – 0
- AL-5: Brooks – 6
- AL-6: Palmer – 0
- AL-7: Sewell – 91
Senate Scores:
- Shelby – 0
- Strange – 0
