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COLUMBUS – Five members of Ohio’s Congressional delegation voted for the environment and clean energy jobs 100% of the time in the past year and a half, according to the annual Congressional Scorecard on major environmental issues released today by Environment Ohio. 

Representatives Boccieri, Driehaus, Kilroy, Space, and Sutton were all designated as “environmental champions” for votes tracked in the Scorecard. 

“These five Representatives consistently voted for energy independence, voted for clean energy jobs, voted to protect Ohio’s treasured waterways, and voted to preserve open space throughout the country.  This scorecard is an important tool to educate the public about the voting records of their elected officials; and these five legislators have demonstrated a clear vision of achieving energy independence and economic prosperity through investing in clean energy and cleaning up our air and water” said Jeff McCourt, Environment Ohio's energy advocate.

Congresswoman Betty Sutton, representing Ohio’s 13^th Congressional District which includes parts of Lorain, Cuyahoga, Medina and Summit Counties, said that she was “truly honored to receive this award from Environment Ohio,” and emphasized the importance of several votes to clean up Lake Erie and promote clean energy jobs in Ohio.  Representative Sutton continued, “I take tremendous pride in supporting legislation, such as the Great Lakes Compact, which protects the environment and our natural resources, both in Ohio and across the nation.  I am proud that Ohio’s workers and businesses have benefited from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which has provided funding for very important wind-energy and home weatherization projects.  Through these programs and others, such as the CARS Act, we are dispelling the false paradigm that has existed for far too long: that legislation has to be about either jobs or the environment. These programs prove that we can enact legislation that will create jobs and preserve and protect our environment. I will continue to support smart, effective legislation that is good for my constituents, Ohio and our environment.”

Congressman John Boccieri, representing Ohio’s 16^th Congressional District which includes Stark, Wayne and portions of Medina and Ashland Counties, underscored that American energy independence and national security go hand-in-hand, stating “A national energy policy is less about environmental security and has everything to do with national security. With a strong energy policy, we can make our economy green; we can create jobs; and we will move away from our dependence on foreign oil, all of which will make our nation safer.”

Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy, representing Ohio’s 15^th Congressional District which includes Union, Madison and half of Franklin Counties, recognized that human health, jobs, the natural environment are connected.  She stated, “I will continue in my dedication to green jobs, a clean environment, renewable and alternative energy, and our parks. Our environment will always be important to central Ohio.  We must ensure that our families can live in a cleaner, more secure, economically sound place.”

Environment Ohio scored fifteen votes in the House, ranging from legislation protecting the Great Lakes, to stimulating the economy by investing $80 billion in clean energy, to addressing America’s fossil fuel dependence with a comprehensive clean energy policy.  Of the seven votes scored in the Senate, Sherrod Brown was rated at 71% and George Voinovich was rated at zero.  

“We applaud Representatives Boccieri, Driehaus, Kilroy, Space, and Sutton for voting to stimulate clean energy jobs, protect Ohio’s waterways, and help America become less dependent on foreign oil.  They were the only five out of Ohio’s twenty member Congressional delegation to receive a 100% score,” said McCourt.

“With the help of these members, the 111^th Congress is making progress in several key areas.  We urge rest of Ohio’s congressional delegation to join with them and work to move America towards a cleaner energy future while creating jobs for Ohio and cleaning up Ohio’s most treasured waterways,” concluded McCourt.

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The scorecard and key to the votes scored within can be viewed online at www.environmentohio.org.  Environment Ohio is a state-based nonprofit, nonpartisan environmental advocacy organization.

Environment-Ohio---2009-Congressional-Scorecard.pdf