Holds Reichert, Other Members of Congress Accountable for Their Vote on Clean Air

View the ad criticizing Rep. Dave Reichert (R, WA-8) here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is launching a digital ad campaign criticizing Rep. Dave Reichert for his votes in favor of Rep. Whitfield’s H.R. 2042, gutting the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. The $20,000 digital ad campaign, including Facebook advertisements and mobile alerts to LCV members, aims to hold Members of Congress, including Rep. Reichert, accountable for their votes last week on Rep. Whitfield’s bill. The Facebook ads are targeted to their respective districts, and will run for over one week.

“We are deeply disappointed that Congressman Dave Reichert voted to protect big polluters while endangering our health and the environment,” said Gene Karpinski, President of LCV. “The effects of climate change, including sea-level rise and ocean acidification, represent a major threat to not only Washington’s natural treasures, but to its economy and the livelihood of its citizens. Congressman Reichert should stand with people, not polluters, and oppose these outright attacks on environmental protections.”

“The votes on this bill sorted out who in Congress sided with polluters against action on climate change, and who is willing to fight for the health of our families,” he continued. “This bill struck at a central pillar of the Clean Air Act. It aimed to gut the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which would put commonsense limits on power plant carbon pollution, and represents the most significant step we have ever taken to combat climate change.”

On June 2, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled its draft Clean Power Plan, the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants. Power plants are the single largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., responsible for approximately 40 percent of the pollution driving climate change. This critical step builds on prior actions the administration has already taken to nearly double the fuel efficiency of cars, which will also significantly reduce carbon pollution, and draft standards setting the first federal carbon pollution limits for new power plants.  On June 24th, the House of Representatives voted on H.R. 2042, Rep. Whitfield’s bill that would gut the Clean Power Plan. Reps. Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), Dave Reichert (R, WA-8), Brad Ashford (D, NE-2), Ann Kirkpatrick (D, AZ-1), and Kyrsten Sinema (D, AZ-9) voted YEA, while Reps. Cheri Bustos (D, IL-17), Gwen Graham (D, FL-2), Frank LoBiondo (R, NJ-2), Chris Gibson (R, NY-19), and Carlos Curbelo (R, FL-26) voted NAY.

This follows another digital campaign launched last week by LCV, holding Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) accountable for Senate votes on the EPA and Clean Power Plan.

###