Republicans for Environmental Protection Defends McCain's Strong Environmental Record

February 22, 2008

Release of the League of Conservation Voters' 2007 scorecard has resulted in a mischaracterization of Senator John McCain's environmental record, Republicans for Environmental Protection, a national grassroots organization, said today.

Senator McCain received a zero score because he missed the 15 Senate floor votes scored by LCV. Under LCV's rating system, a missed vote counts the same as an anti-environment vote.

"Senator McCain missed those votes because he has been running a very time-consuming presidential primary campaign against leading contenders who do not currently hold office," REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso said.

"Missed votes due to campaign demands are in no way an indicator of Senator McCain's environmental positions or record. To imply that they are is disingenuous," DiPeso said.

REP has endorsed Senator McCain for president because of his strong record of environmental stewardship.

On many of the issues rated by the LCV scorecard, Senator McCain has made his position clear. In fact, LCV rated a vote on an amendment reforming the U.S Army Corps of Engineers. This amendment echoes McCain's own Corps reform legislation, yet he was penalized for missing the vote as much as Senator Barack Obama was penalized for voting against the amendment.

"Senator McCain's presidential campaign has altered the political landscape by making a case for strong environmental stewardship in the Republican primaries," REP Government Affairs Director David Jenkins said. "During his campaign, Senator McCain has spoken out repeatedly, ignoring potential political risks, about the need to fight global warming, increase automobile fuel economy, and protect wild places."

"More than any other presidential candidate, Republican or Democrat, John McCain has been a leader on addressing climate change," Jenkins said. "His leadership and persistence has moved Congress closer to adopting firm limits on greenhouse gas emissions."

"Since 2003, McCain has been introducing and securing votes on his strong cap-and-trade bill, the Climate Stewardship Act," Jenkins said. "He also educated his colleagues--from both sides of the aisle--about the need for a strong climate bill. He has taken fellow members of Congress to the far ends of the earth to build support for addressing climate change. Neither of his likely Democratic rivals has exhibited similar dedication and leadership on this issue."

"Look at Senator McCain's record in its totality. In addition to pushing his climate bill, over the past three years he has voted several times to block oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, prohibit funding of new logging roads in the Tongass National Forest, and fought to increase motor vehicle fuel economy standards. None of those votes made him popular with party leaders," DiPeso said.

"The hard reality is that if Senator McCain had not run the time-consuming campaign for president that he has run, he very likely would not be the presumptive GOP nominee for president," Jenkins said.

"His campaign is the political opportunity of a generation -- a Republican presidential nominee in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt who truly understands that environmental stewardship is a core conservative value. REP is proud to have endorsed John McCain and hopes that America seizes this opportunity to elect him president," Jenkins said.