Dear John,

Our partners at the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) just released the 2020 National Environmental Scorecard. This year, it tells the story of a nation in crisis and how Congress responded: How the diverse, pro-environment majority in the House of Representatives took action to address the coronavirus pandemic while also laying the groundwork for a more just, equitable, and sustainable society, and how the Republican-controlled Senate blocked aid at most every turn.

2020 also saw the most widespread demands for racial justice in a generation. For the first time, the 2020 National Environmental Scorecard includes votes on removing public monuments to racism, as well as policing and criminal justice reform. That’s because the political and economic forces that perpetuate police violence against Black communities are the same as those that expose communities of color to higher levels of toxic air pollution. We believe that broken, racist systems must be addressed.

We were very excited to see that Rep. Chellie Pingree and Rep. Jared Golden received high scores. They both led the fight to ensure that our health and environment were put first in Congress. Congresswoman Pingree received a 100% score this year and Congressmen Golden received a 95% score. We applaud them for their pro-environmental leadership and unwavering commitment to tackling the climate crisis.

Knowing exactly what politicians do in Washington is core to a functioning democracy. That’s why we invite you to dive into the 2020 National Environmental Scorecard -- knowing how Maine’s members of Congress voted on issues that impact our families, our communities, and the democracy we all live in is key in holding our elected officials accountable. 

How does LCV come up with these numbers?

• In the House, they scored 21 votes that advanced pro-environment and pro-democracy bills, provisions, and government funding thanks to strong leadership from Speaker Pelosi and others. 
• In the Senate, they scored 13 votes that were largely efforts to confirm President Trump’s radical nominees to the federal judiciary and the executive branch. Mitch McConnell refused to bring to a vote much-needed democracy reforms; climate, water infrastructure, and clean energy investments; and aid to people that the House passed.

2021 ushered in a new day in Washington, and slowly the change is beginning to be felt across the nation. Now it’s up to our pro-environment trifecta -- President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Schumer -- to enact bold legislation that puts our economy on a path to recovery by making transformative investments in healthy, equitable, safe communities powered by clean energy. It’s time to get our country back on track.

To make sure that leaders from Maine continue to and fight for our environment, it’s critical that we know how they voted on our behalf in the highest levels of government. It all starts with showing our elected officials that we are paying attention, and that's exactly what LCV's Scorecard has done since 1970. Thank you for being a key part of the democratic process.

Thank you,
Beth