OAKLAND, CA– Today, California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) released the California delegation’s scores for the League of Conservation Voters’ 2024 National Environmental Scorecard, highlighting that some members of Congress chose to champion the environment and protect our democracy, while others failed to do so. Since 1970, LCV’s Scorecard has been the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of members of Congress. It is available for download in English here, in Spanish here, and online in both languages here.
The 2024 Scorecard shows that some of our state’s delegation supported attacks on our democracy and environmental protections. For the second year in a row, extreme members in the House of Representatives embraced chaos. They pushed messaging bills and radical amendments on government funding that were so harmful their own leadership pulled them on more than one occasion — resulting in the least productive Congress in recent history.
Some Congressmembers failed to stand up for California’s values, voting against cuts to clean energy investments and an agenda that catered to Big Polluters and corporate interests. Despite intentional gridlock caused by the most extreme members of the House, our Senators continued to confirm strong, well-qualified federal judges, confirming more than any other president and Senate in a recent four-year period.
“Californians should be proud to have leaders who stand up against big polluters and attacks on our environment — and here are the scores to show for it,” said Veda Banerjee, Senior Communications Director, California Environmental Voters. “Despite this administration trying to ban clean energy and raising energy costs for everyday people, our California climate champions are working every day to protect our air and water and build a clean energy future. The stakes are high — and we need our representatives in Sacramento and D.C. to keep fighting for all Californians.”
“2024 saw the most extreme members of the House Republicans again manufacturing wasteful, cruel chaos at the expense of the health and safety of our environment, our democracy, and our economy,” said LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “Unfortunately, we must look at 2024’s mostly fruitless attempts to provide more giveaways to Big Oil and other polluters while leaving communities across the country less safe as a trial run for what Trump and his captured Congressional leadership will do in 2025.”
For the third year, the 2024 Scorecard highlights the leadership of the Tri-Caucus. Leadership of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) scored an average of 97% on the 2024 Scorecard. These champions in Congress led and supported many of the climate, conservation, environmental justice, and equitable democracy bills and initiatives in 2024, in addition to helping to educate constituents and connect communities to the transformational investments within the affordable clean energy plan.
As devastating wildfires, extreme storms and temperatures, and extreme drought wreak havoc in California, we know if we do not protect the progress we have made and keep working in our own communities, these problems will only get worse.
This year, the 2024 Scorecard includes eight Senate votes, half of which were confirmations of qualified, diverse judges and other nominees and half were attacks on environmental protections. In the House, LCV scored 33 votes, 14 of which were poison pill policy amendments on government funding bills or the extreme underlying bills themselves, two of which were using or further weaponizing the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block environmental safeguards, and the rest undermined programs and laws that advance a safe climate, environment, and democracy.
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CONTACT:
Erika Guzman Cornejo
(310) 755-1615
erika@envirovoters.org
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ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. See more press releases.
