VIRGINIA — LCV (League of Conservation Voters) and House Majority Forward today launched two ads praising Virginia Representatives Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger for championing pro-environment policies in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Virginia ads are part of a $1 million ad campaign thanking eight Members of Congress for their legislative actions and leadership on locally significant environmental issues. 

WATCH: “Good Work” (Rep. Elaine Luria, VA-02); “Drinking” (Rep. Abigail Spanberger; VA-07)

In the last year, Representative Luria co-sponsored H.R. 1941, the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act to ban new offshore drilling. The bill, which passed the House in September 2019, would prohibit new leasing for offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf or Pacific Outer Continental Shelf. Representative Luria also co-sponsored H.R. 5221, the 100% Clean Economy Act, which will set a national goal of net-zero greenhouse gas pollution by no later than 2050.

In the last year, Representative Spanberger voted in favor of the PFAS Action Act, H.R. 535. The PFAS Action Act would require the EPA to list certain PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances under the EPA’s Superfund program, which will force polluters to clean up their messes. It would also create a national drinking standard for certain PFAS chemicals and help to catch contamination early.

“Poll after poll shows people are demanding action on climate change, clean water and clean air more than ever before,” said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. “Fortunately environmental champions in Congress like Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger are responding in big ways by passing legislation and holding polluters accountable. We want their constituents to know about several recent actions where their representatives put the health and safety of people and the planet first so they can thank them and encourage them to keep making progress on these issues.”

“At a time when leadership is in short supply, Reps. Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger are doing the hard work to fight for clean air and water for our families,” said Abby Curran Horrell, executive director of House Majority Forward. “Reps. Luria and Spanberger are taking responsible steps to pass legislation that will strengthen environmental protections and hold big polluters accountable, while also encouraging innovation and the expansion of a clean energy economy.”

During the past year, the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has taken bold action on a critical set of issues, fighting back against the Trump administration’s dangerous environmental rollbacks and failure to act on the climate crisis. They have held over 100 congressional hearings on the climate crisis, passed the first pro-climate action legislation through the House in a decade, passed the largest public lands bill in a decade, and passed legislation to protect  the Arctic Refuge, national monuments, and more.

Most recently, the House passed the PFAS Action Act to finally start taking action on these dangerous chemicals, passed legislation to protect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from offshore drilling, and introduced critical and bold legislation like the Climate Action Now Act to put us on the path to combat the climate crisis. In addition, many individual members were outspoken advocates for extending vital tax incentives for clean energy.

Ad scripts:

“Good Work” (Rep. Elaine Luria VA-02)

Congresswoman Elaine Luria knows that offshore drilling is not the way forward, and we need a clean energy future.
In the Navy, Luria saw first-hand that offshore drilling not only threatens our environment and local economy, but our military operations and training.
That’s why Luria passed the bill to ban drilling off our shores
and is fighting for more clean energy.
Call Congresswoman Elaine Luria and tell her to keep fighting for Virginia’s coasts and clean energy economy.

“Drinking” (Rep. Abigail Spanberger VA-07)

They’re called “forever chemicals.” 
Cancer-causing toxics in our drinking water.
A threat to communities across the country, including here in Virginia.  
And for too long, the feds failed to take action 
So Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger voted to pass tough new standards that reduce these toxic chemicals.
Testing to catch contamination early.  
Forcing polluters to clean up their mess.  
Thank Congresswoman Spanberger, and tell her to keep fighting for clean water.   

LCV (League of Conservation Voters) builds political power to protect people and the planet. We influence policy, hold politicians accountable, and win elections. This is how we fight to build a world with clean air, clean water, public lands, and a safe climate that are protected by a just and equitable democracy.

House Majority Forward is a progressive, non-profit organization committed to promoting economic growth and opportunity, social justice, environmental stewardship, and democracy in the United States of America. We aim to achieve these core goals through aggressive advocacy of policies that move America in the right direction.

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