The following are the votes upon which Vote Climate U.S. PAC has based our 2020 U.S. Senate score in the “Votes” category of our national, Climate Change Voter’s Guide. Descriptions of legislation and the votes were obtained from the League of Conservation Voters National Environmental Scorecard.

Stopping the Dirty Power Scam

Senate Roll Call Vote 324

Issues: Climate Change, Clean Air, Dirty Energy

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) sponsored S.J. Res. 53, the resolution of disapproval of the Trump Administration’s Affordable Clean Energy rule. This rule, more accurately titled the Dirty Power Scam, is part of a dangerous pattern of this administration ignoring science and favoring polluters over the public interest. This rule does nothing to fight climate change or protect communities from toxic pollution, and it lets fossil fuel-fired power plants off the hook to clean up their carbon pollution. The Dirty Power Scam would put no meaningful limits on carbon pollution, and, in fact, could lead to more pollution in many parts of the country than if there were no standard at all. On October 17, the Senate rejected S.J. Res. 53 by a vote of 41-53 (Senate roll call vote 324). YES IS THE PRO ENVIRONMENT VOTE.

http://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2019-324-stopping-dirty-power-scam

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00324  

 

Wheeler Confirmation (EPA Administrator)

Senate Roll Call Vote 33

Issues: Climate Change, Clean Air, Clean Water

The Senate considered President Trump’s nomination of Andrew Wheeler for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment, but Wheeler has dedicated his career to weakening environmental protections—he served as a lobbyist for numerous fossil fuel clients, including one of our country’s biggest polluters, Murray Energy. Wheeler’s inherent conflicts of interest, which stem from his long history of ties to the fossil fuel industry, make him an entirely inappropriate choice for the highest leadership role at the agency. On February 28, 2019, the Senate confirmed Wheeler to be administrator of the EPA by a vote of 52-47 (Senate roll call vote 33). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. 

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00033

* Updated vote from deputy administrator to administrator of EPA. CHECK ALL VOTES

 

Anti-Environmental Rescission Package

Senate Roll Call Vote 134

Issue: Other

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) sponsored H.R. 3, the Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act, also known as the rescission package, which would have cut funding for several programs that protect our environment and public health. H.R. 3 would slash programs that promote needed investments in clean energy and conservation, as well as $16 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Additionally, this package, which the Trump administration proposed, irresponsibly rescinds funding levels agreed upon by Congress, and much of the funding that H.R. 3 would cut has been identified for future use and could continue to support projects and communities across the country. On June 20, the Senate rejected a motion to discharge H.R. 3 by a vote of 48-50 (Senate roll call vote 134). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE.

https://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2018-134-anti-environmental-rescission-package-0

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=2&vote=00134

  

Pruitt Confirmation (EPA Administrator)

Senate Roll Call Vote 71

Issues: Climate Change, Clean Air, Clean Water, Other

The Senate considered President Trump’s nomination of Scott Pruitt to serve as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA and its leader are charged with protecting human health and the environment – our air, water, and land. In his role as the Oklahoma attorney general, Pruitt sued the EPA 14 times, attempting to block efforts to cut carbon pollution and weaken safeguards for our air and water. Pruitt has repeatedly denied the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real and caused by human activity and has extremely close ties to fossil fuel interests. During his confirmation process, Pruitt refused repeated requests to turn over email correspondence between his Oklahoma attorney general’s office and oil and gas companies. By ignoring sound science and showing no interest in upholding our nation’s bedrock environmental and public health laws, Pruitt failed to meet the most basic standards needed to perform this job in good faith. On February 17, the Senate confirmed Pruitt to be the EPA administrator by a vote of 52-46 (Senate roll call vote 71). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. Pruitt served as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from February 17, 2017 to July 6, 2018. Pruit was confirmed the the United States Senate on February 17, 2017 to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and resigned on July 6, 2018. Scott Pruitt was replaced as EPA Administrator by Andrew Wheeler in 2019.

https://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2017-71-pruitt-confirmation-epa-administrator

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00071

 

Zinke Confirmation (Interior Secretary)

Senate Roll Call Vote 75

Issues: Climate Change, Drilling, Lands/Forests, Wildlife, Other

The Senate considered President Trump’s nomination of Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT) to serve as secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI). This position is critical to protecting our treasured natural heritage for future generations, but Zinke puts our public lands, national monuments and parks, clean air and water, and wildlife at risk. Zinke’s record on protecting America’s majestic public lands has far too often failed to meet his pro-conservation rhetoric, resulting in a 4 percent lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. Zinke has refused to accept the reality of climate science and consistently put the interests of corporate polluters ahead of our air, water, lands, and wildlife. On March 1, the Senate confirmed Zinke to be secretary of the Department of the Interior by a vote of 68-31 (Senate roll call vote 75). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. Zinke was confirmed by the United States Senate as Interior Secretary March 1, 2017 and resigned January 2, 2019. He was replaced by David Bernhardt who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 11, 2019.

https://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2017-75-zinke-confirmation-interior-secretary

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00075

 

Perry Confirmation (Energy Secretary)

Senate Roll Call Vote 79

Issues: Climate Change, Clean Energy, Other

The Senate considered President Trump’s nomination of Rick Perry to serve as secretary of the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy is charged with overseeing the country’s energy, environmental and nuclear policy with a focus on transformative science and technology solutions. As the governor of Texas, Perry appointed officials who denied climate science to key environmental positions, he sought to fast-track permit applications for new coal power plants, and he repeatedly sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over proposed limits on carbon pollution. Perry has also denied the science of climate change and previously called to eliminate the Department of Energy. On March 2, the Senate confirmed Perry to be secretary of the Department of Energy by a vote of 62-37 (Senate roll call vote 79). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. Perry was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 2, 2017. On October 17, 2019, Perry resigned on December 1, 2019 and was replaced by Dan Brouillette who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 2, 2019.

https://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2017-79-perry-confirmation-energy-secretary

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00079

 

Tillerson Confirmation (Secretary of State)

Senate Roll Call Vote 36

Issues: Climate Change, Other

The Senate considered President Trump’s nomination of Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state. The secretary of state is tasked with carrying out the president’s foreign policy agenda and plays a key role in shaping international climate policy. Tillerson previously served as CEO of ExxonMobil, where he opposed policies to take action on climate change and supported efforts to drill for oil in the Arctic. Tillerson’s deep ties to ExxonMobil brought unprecedented conflicts of interest and concerns over corporate influence to our government. On February 1, the Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state by a vote of 56-43 (Senate roll call vote 36). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. Tillerson was confirmed by the United States Senate as Secretary of State on February 1, 2017 and was fired by President Trump on March 13, 2018. He was replaced by Mike Pompeo who was confirmed April 26, 2018.

https://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2017-36-tillerson-confirmation-secretary-state

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00036

 

Anti-Environmental Tax Bill that Opens Drilling in the Arctic Refuge

Senate Roll Call Vote 323

Issues: Lands/Forests, Dirty Energy, Drilling

Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) sponsored H.R. 1, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, which sells out key environmental priorities to deliver a massive tax cut for millionaires, billionaires, and huge corporations. The bill increases the deficit by $1.5 trillion, harming people nationwide by likely resulting in cuts to safeguards for our air, water, lands and wildlife. The legislation puts our clean energy future at risk while maintaining giveaways to fossil fuel interests. The conference report for H.R. 1 even turns the pristine and sacred Arctic National Wildlife Refuge into an industrial oil field. Following its passage in the House, on December 20, the Senate approved the conference report for H.R. 1 by a vote of 51-48 (Senate roll call vote 323). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. President Trump signed H.R. 1 into law on December 22.

https://scorecard.lcv.org/roll-call-vote/2017-323-anti-environmental-tax-bill-opens-drilling-arctic-refuge

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00323