©2026 League of Conservation Voters
2017 Scorecard Vote
257
166
9
Issues
Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) sponsored H.R. 3043, the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act of 2017, which would undermine the balance of power in hydropower licensing by prioritizing the profits of power companies over the health of our rivers and the people, wildlife, and communities that depend on them. This bill would allow the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to dictate an aggressive licensing schedule, forcing federal and state agencies to choose between meeting expedited deadlines without the necessary information for decision-making or forgoing their independent authorities under the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. Additionally, the bill would require federal agencies to conduct costly and wasteful reviews of matters outside of their scope of expertise while also mandating that scientific decisions be made only by political appointees in Washington, DC. This legislation is simply a massive giveaway to special interests and would make it more difficult to protect water quality, recover threatened and endangered species, and manage tribal-trust resources and public lands. On November 8, the House approved H.R. 3043 by a vote of 257-166 (House roll call vote 620). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. The Senate took no action on this legislation.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters