©2025 League of Conservation Voters
2012 Scorecard Vote
250
173
8
Issues
Representative Bill Flores (R-TX) offered an amendment to H.R. 5326, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013, which would defund the federal government’s prohibition on using unconventional transportation fuels that emit more greenhouse gases than traditional fuels. The amendment would prohibit the use of funds in the bill to enforce Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which specifically prohibits federal agencies from buying transportation fuels from unconventional sources like coal-to-liquid, oil sands, and oil shale, unless the contract specifies that the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions would not exceed those produced by conventional petroleum. The Defense Department has said that it supports Section 526 as part of an effort to decrease its reliance on fossil fuels, and that Section 526 has not prevented the Department from meeting current mission needs. On May 9, the House approved the Flores amendment by a vote of 250-173 (House roll call vote 233). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. H.R. 5326 subsequently passed the House, but the Senate took no action on this legislation and the amendment was not included in the spending measure maintaining current funding levels for the federal government through March 27, 2013, which President Obama signed into law on September 28.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters