BLOOMINGTON, IL--The U.S. House and Senate delegations from
Illinois earned above-average grades in the 2002 Environmental
Scorecard recently released by the League
of Conservation Voters. The ratings are based on
how representatives and senators cast votes on a series of
environmental issues. They ranged from a failed bill to halt
federal funds from subsidizing factory farms to the successful
bid to stop arctic oil drilling to an exemption for pickup
trucks from future fuel economy standards, which was defeated.
Others included a requirement that 20 percent of
electricity come from renewable sources by 2020, which failed,
to the vote to create a central storage facility for nuclear
waste at Yucca Mountain, which passed. The release of
the scorecard is timed to help environmentally-friendly
legislators in Tuesday's election. Nationally, the
average score in the House was 47 percent. Average score in
the Senate was 43 percent.
In Illinois, Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat running for
re-election, scored 92 percent. That compares to an average 62
percent for other freshman senators. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, a
Republican who is also a freshman, scored 52 percent.
Scores achieved by the Republicans representing the
Pantagraph area in the House were:
• Timothy Johnson, 50 percent. The LCV previously endorsed Johnson for
re-election, calling him a "leader in protecting drinking
water and promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy."
Johnson also voted against President Bush on the Energy Bill
because it contained a provision to allow oil drilling in the
Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge. The LCV said average score among freshmen
House members like Johnson was 35 percent;
• Ray LaHood, 36 percent;
• Jerry Weller, 18 percent.
U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic candidate for
Illinois governor, scored a 77 percent.
Other Illinois representatives and their ratings were
Democrats Bobby Rush, 64 percent; Jesse Jackson Jr., 100
percent; William Lipinski 36 percent; Luis Gutierrez, 86
percent; Danny Davis, 91 percent; Jan Schakowsky, 100 percent;
Jerry Costello, 59 percent; Lane Evans, 86 percent; and David
Phelps, 45 percent. Republican representatives and their
scores were Henry Hyde, 14 percent; Phil Crane, 5 percent;
Mark Kirk, 59 percent; Judy Biggert, 59 percent; Donald
Manzullo, 9 percent; and John Shimkus, a zero.
Congressional delegations from Vermont led the way for all
states with an overall score of 95 percent in the House and an
86 percent score in the Senate. Kentucky and Oklahoma scored
lowest.
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