Maryland League of Conservation Voters (LCV) today unveiled scores for the Maryland delegation released this morning as part of their 2013 National Environmental Scorecard. The Scorecard reflects how continued attacks on the environment and public health safeguards have led to all-time low scores for House Republicans, a sharp contrast with President’s Obama’s leadership on these issues.
“It was another year of extreme attacks on our environment from far too many in Congress, but allies like Donna Edwards, Elijah Cummings, John Sarbanes and Chris Van Hollen stand out for putting Maryland values first,” said Maryland LCV’s Executive Director Karla Raettig. “Despite a record-breaking year of climate change impacts, members like Andy Harris put their polluting special interest allies first.”
The 2013 Scorecard covers votes during the first session of the 113th Congress. It includes 13 Senate votes and 28 House votes on issues ranging from public health protections to clean energy to land and wildlife conservation. It comes on the heels of another record-breaking year of climate change impacts with more than 100 climate change deniers serving in Congress.
In Maryland, four House members and both Senators earned a score of 90 percent or greater on the 2013 Scorecard, while one House member earned an abysmal score of 10 percent or less. The average House score in 2013 for Maryland was 80 percent and the average Senate score was 96 percent.
Nationwide, the average House score in 2013 was 43 percent and the average Senate score was 58 percent. Members who defeated 2012 members of LCV’s Dirty Dozen have an average 2013 score of 92 percent, while the Dirty Dozen members that they replaced had an average lifetime score of just 12 percent.
“There is a jarring disconnect between the frightening climate change developments of 2013 and the results of the 2013 National Environmental Scorecard,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “Together with our allies in the Senate, the Obama Administration was able to defend against the worst attacks on our environment and protect public health.”
