For Immediate Release:
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – Virginia LCV today released the Virginia Congressional Delegation’s scores on the League of Conservation Voters’ 2020 National Environmental Scorecard, showing the vastly different approaches the House and Senate took on environmental progress and the four interwoven crises plaguing our nation: the coronavirus pandemic, economic inequality, racial injustice, and climate change.
The Scorecard is the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of every member of Congress, and is available for download here, in Spanish here, and online in both languages at scorecard.lcv.org.
“President Biden has wasted no time putting climate at the top of his agenda. We are proud to have Congressional representatives from Virginia that will fight for our future alongside this new administration,” said Michael Town, executive director of Virginia LCV. “While Virginia has made huge progress at the state level over the past four years advancing climate action and protecting clean air, we look forward to seeing Virginia’s champions in Congress pass the long-term federal safeguards we need to address climate change, environmental injustice and the systemic disparities that result in a healthy environment for some, but not all.”
The 2020 Scorecard measures votes cast during the second session of the 116th Congress. In Virginia, seven House members and both U.S. Senators earned a score of 80 percent or greater. The average House score for Virginia was 66 percent and the average Senate score was 92 percent.
The full delegation’s scores for 2020 are:
United States Senate
| Name | Party | 2020 Score | Lifetime Score |
| Tim Kaine | D | 92 | 95 |
| Mark Warner | D | 92 | 88 |
United States House of Representatives
| Name | Party | District | 2020 Score | Lifetime Score |
| Rob Wittman | R | 1 | 19 | 10 |
| Elaine Luria | D | 2 | 95 | 96 |
| Bobby Scott | D | 3 | 100 | 92 |
| Don McEachin | D | 4 | 100 | 92 |
| Denver Riggleman | R | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| Ben Cline | R | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Abigail Spanberger | D | 7 | 95 | 96 |
| Don Beyer | D | 8 | 100 | 96 |
| Morgan Griffith | R | 9 | 14 | 6 |
| Jennifer Wexton | D | 10 | 100 | 98 |
| Gerry Connolly | D | 11 | 100 | 97 |
“During an incredibly difficult and unprecedented year and with the most anti-environmental president ever, pro-environment members of the 116th Congress paved the way for transformational action on climate and environmental justice,” said LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “Now the pro-environment trifecta – led by President Biden and Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Schumer – is poised to enact transformational progress that results in healthy, equitable, safe communities powered by clean energy.”
The 2020 Scorecard includes 21 House votes that advanced pro-environmental and pro-democracy bills, provisions, and government funding. In the Senate, for the fourth year in a row, the majority of the 13 scored votes were extreme and partisan nominations both to the federal bench and the Trump administration. For the first time, the 2020 National Environmental Scorecard includes votes on removing public monuments to racism and policing and criminal justice reform. The same damaging system—racism—is at the root of climate injustice, environmental injustice, and police brutality. The 2020 Scorecard therefore includes votes that reflect LCV’s belief that these struggles are intertwined and must be addressed together.
LCV has published a National Environmental Scorecard every Congress since 1970. The Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from more than 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes on which members of Congress should be scored. LCV scores votes on the most important issues of the year, including energy, climate change, environmental justice, public health, public lands and wildlife conservation, democracy, and spending for environmental programs. The votes included in the Scorecard presented members of Congress with a real choice and help distinguish which legislators are working for environmental protection. More information on individual votes and the Scorecard archive can be found at scorecard.lcv.org.
Earlier this month, LCV released a new report examining the environmental records of members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), collectively referred to as the Tri-Caucus. Using data from LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard, the report details how members of the Tri-Caucus were champions of strong environmental policies that address environmental injustice, helped chair a record number of hearings about climate change, and led on many of the critical pro-environmental bills during the 116th Congress.
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
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