©2026 League of Conservation Voters
1977 Scorecard Vote
61
30
5
Issues
(S. 977). The vote is on the Jackson motion to table and kill the Kennedy amendment to prohibit the major oil and natural gas companies from further acquisition of coal and uranium resources. The Kennedy amendment would not have affected the corporation’s current holdings, but would have stopped the trend toward further monopoly control. The major oil companies already control from 35-40% of U.S. coal reserves and also dominate the uranium market. Environmentalists oppose monopoly control by energy conglomerates because it increases their power to control national energy policies. Most big energy corporations have a vested interest in policies that favor synthetic fuels, nuclear power and other destructive, highly centralized energy sources which only they can afford to produce. Environmentalists prefer solar, heat, wind, and other small scale energy sources which lend themselves to competition. The Administration opposed the Kennedy amendment, fearing that it would jeopardize the energy bill in the House-Senate Conference Committee. Environmentalists supported Kennedy and opposed Jackson. Motion to table agreed to 62-30. September 8, 1977. No is the correct vote.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters