Washington, D.C.– Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, ranking member of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, today highlighted his 100 percent score on a new League of Conservation Voters “Special Edition” Congressional score card released to highlight the House Republican budget resolution for fiscal year 2011. The report is based on a total of 25 votes cast on the continuing resolution (CR) and related amendments; the bill passed the Republican-controlled House Feb. 19 on a party line vote.

The preface to the scorecard calls the CR “a disgrace of epic proportions for the environment and public health,” citing amendments that “block the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting public health and holding polluters accountable[,] cut funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency, clean water, lands conservation and restoration, and other important environmental programs.”

Grijalva called on Republicans to explain how the bill creates jobs or cleans up the environment. “Expanding tax giveaways to oil companies who already enjoy massive loopholes doesn’t have anything to do with job creation or a healthier environment. They’ve resisted explaining themselves, but once the question is asked, they have no good answer.”

Grijalva earned a 100 percent score not only by voting against those Republican-proposed amendments and the overall bill – which has not yet been acted on by the Senate – but by voting in favor of Democratic amendments that sought to:

·         Increase funding by $20 million for the Department of Energy’s innovative Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and decrease funding for fossil energy research and development by the same amount.

·         Cap agricultural subsidies at $250,000 and limit taxpayer giveaways that mostly go to factory farms, which tend to use energy and water unsustainably while contributing significantly to air and water pollution.

·         Allow energy efficiency and renewable energy funds at the Department of Energy to be used by the Weatherization Assistance Program or the State Energy Program.

·         Eliminate up to $53 billion in taxpayer subsidies by closing a royalty payment loophole for oil companies operating offshore

“Republicans think putting even more taxpayer money in CEO pockets is the same thing as creating jobs, reducing the national debt and spurring the economy,” Grijalva said. “They want to make sure polluters no longer have to pay their fines, oil companies no longer have to pay their share to the public, and mining companies no longer have to watch where they dump their waste. This budget bill is part of the Republican war on the environment, and I’m proud to have voted against it.”