02/28/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Sandretti, (202) 785-8683 or david_sandretti@lcv.org

Incumbent Sam Graves Continues to Vote Against Wind Energy Jobs in Missouri

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters, which works to turn environmental values into public policy, announced today that it is endorsing former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes to replace U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO-6th).
 
“During her eight years as mayor of Kansas City, Kay Barnes supported renewable energy projects that created jobs in Northwest Missouri, such as the Ford hybrid plant and wind farms. As a member of the U.S. House, she promises to do even more to create good-paying, ‘green-collar’ jobs by working to steer the nation toward the clean, renewable energy of the future rather than following the dirty energy policies of the past,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “We are happy to endorse her candidacy.”

Barnes has pledged to support legislation that would require that at least 20 percent of the nation’s electricity come from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar.  She will also support legislation that would eliminate billions of dollars in tax breaks to wealthy oil companies and instead put that money into developing clean, renewable energy for the future, which she considers “a great opportunity to create jobs” in Missouri and around the country.
 
In stark contrast, Graves, the incumbent, voted in favor of the environment only one time out of 20 House votes tracked by LCV in 2007, earning an abysmal 5 percent score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. Graves’ lifetime average LCV score is 4 percent.  

Yesterday, Graves voted against a bill (H.R. 5351) to roll back billions of dollars in tax breaks to big oil companies, and to reinvest that money into tax credits for wind, biomass and other clean, renewable energy sources.  That investment will not only help reduce the carbon emissions that create global warming, it will create thousands of American jobs.  The three year extension on wind energy tax credits alone will create a stable market for wind power that will allow companies across the country to expand their operations in places like rural Missouri.

“Clearly, Representative Graves is out of step with the people of Missouri,” Karpinski said. “They deserve better, and Kay Barnes’ record proves she can deliver.”