Environment America 2009 Congressional Scorecard

Environment America and our federation of state environmental groups produce this regular report on key votes in Congress as one of our many tools to help citizens engage in and make an impact on environmental policy.

Report

Environment America

Executive Summary

Washington, DC – Environment America and our federation of state environmental groups produce this regular report on key votes in Congress as one of our many tools to help citizens engage in and make an impact on environmental policy.

The 2009 Congressional Scorecard released by Environment America found more environmental progress and more champions even as the group noted the challenges of enacting more significant environmental protections.  

Environment America is releasing the scorecard as part of its campaign to pass legislation in Congress to repower our economy with clean energy and cut global warming pollution.  

In addition to tracking votes on key environmental legislation such as the unprecedented $80 billion in clean energy and green transportation ultimately enacted in the economic recovery act; the passage of a first-ever comprehensive clean energy and global warming bill through the House; and the enactment of a bill to protect more than 2 million acres of public lands and other national treasures;  the scorecard also demonstrates an increased depth of support for environmental issues in the past year and a half.  

The 2009 scorecard documents a continued shift in the nature of environmental votes towards more solution-oriented votes.  Environment America found that House and Senate leadership and the new administration are placing a much higher priority on environmental protection in the past year and a half, leading to 85% percent of the votes prioritized by Environment America being solution-oriented.   Most importantly the measures reaching and being signed by the President reflect greater progress on solutions.  

The 2009 scorecard looks at the key environmental votes taken between April 2008 and September 2009.