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Marilyn Musgrave on Environment

Republican Representative (CO-4)


Voted NO on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences.

Congressional Summary:

Proponent's argument to vote Yes:Rep. JOHN SARBANES (D, MD-3): This bill creates a new National Capacity Environmental Education grant program for which education associations apply competitively for grants that would fund model programs that get children into nature and really have them experiencing the environment.

Rep. BUCK McKEON (R, CA-25): This bill incorporates scientifically-based and technology-driven teaching methods into environmental education. Unfortunately, the new National Capacity Environmental Education Program is duplicative of the existing environmental education program already being run by the EPA. Still, I do not intend to oppose its passage.

Opponent's argument to vote No:Rep. MICHELE BACHMANN (R, MN-6): H.R. 3036 continues our Nation down the ill-fated road of shifting control of school curricula away from the parents and teachers and local school boards who best know what their children need into the hands of Federal Government and its one-size-fits-all approach. To best serve our children's educational needs, local school boards need flexibility to target resources where they are needed most. The needs of individual school districts are not homogenous and are most certainly not best understood by bureaucrats in Washington. This bill represents a step in the wrong direction. Forcing local school districts to direct scarce resources away from core curricula to serve a political agenda will only further suppress the academic performance of America's next generation.

Reference: No Child Left Inside Act; Bill H.R.3036 ; vote number 2008-H614 on Sep 18, 2008

Voted NO on increasing AMTRAK funding by adding $214M to $900M.

Voting YES on this amendment would restore $214 million in funding for AMTRAK, bringing the total annual expenditure for AMTRAK to $1.114 billion. The chairman of the Railroad Subcommittee explained the increase as follows:Opponents of the amendment say that it would increase funding for Amtrak by gutting and eliminating critical programs, including safety programs, resulting in reductions in force at several agencies.
Reference: Department of Transportation appropriations; Bill HR 5576 Amendment 1008 ; vote number 2006-263 on Jun 13, 2006

Voted NO on barring website promoting Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump.

An amendment to prohibit funding the "Yucca Mountain Youth Zone" website. Voting YES indicates opposition to using Yucca Mountain as the national nuclear waste repository. The amendment's sponsor says:
Reference: Energy and water development appropriations bill; Bill HR 5427 Amendment 919 ; vote number 2006-200 on May 24, 2006

Voted YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species.

To amend and reauthorize the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide greater results conserving and recovering listed species, and for other purposes, including:
Reference: Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act; Bill HR 3824 ; vote number 2005-506 on Sep 29, 2005

Voted YES on speeding up approval of forest thinning projects.

Vote to adopt the conference report on the bill that would reduce and expedite (speed up) environmental and judicial reviews of forest thinning projects. The bill would authorize $760 million a year from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2008. The Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service would have the authorization to remove vegetation that could cause or assist the spread of wildfires, disease or insect infestation. All forest thinning project would come after public meetings had been held. Forest thinning would be restricted to land that is within a 1.5 miles of at-risk communities , high-risk land that serves as a home for threatened and endangered species, high-risk land in the area of municipal water sources and and high-risk land that is specifically susceptible to disease or insect infestation.
Reference: Healthy Forests Restoration Act; Bill HR 1904 ; vote number 2003-656 on Nov 21, 2003

Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes.

Musgrave scores 5% by the LCV on environmental issues

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the political voice of the national environmental movement and the only organization devoted full-time to shaping a pro-environment Congress and White House. We run tough and effective campaigns to defeat anti-environment candidates, and support those leaders who stand up for a clean, healthy future for America. Through our National Environmental Scorecard and Presidential Report Card we hold Congress and the Administration accountable for their actions on the environment. Through regional offices, we build coalitions, promote grassroots power, and train the next generation of environmental leaders. The 2003 National Environmental Scorecard provides objective, factual information about the environmental voting records of all Members of the first session of the 108th Congress. This Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes on which Members of Congress should be graded. LCV scores votes on the most important issues of the year, including environmental health and safety protections, resource conservation, and spending for environmental programs. Scores are calculated by dividing the number of pro-environment votes by the total number of votes scored. The votes included in this Scorecard presented Members of Congress with a real choice on protecting the environment and help distinguish which legislators are working for environmental protection. Except in rare circumstances, the Scorecard excludes consensus action on the environment and issues on which no recorded votes occurred.

Source: LCV website 03n-LCV on Dec 31, 2003

Allow critical feeding on Conservation Reserves.

Musgrave co-sponsored allowing critical feeding on Conservation Reserves

A BILL to require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out conservation reserve program notice CRP-598, entitled the 'Voluntary Modification of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Contract for Critical Feed Use'.

BACKGROUND: USDA announced that certain acreage enrolled in CRP would be available for hay and forage after the ending of the primary nesting season. Beginning June 2, 2008, CRP participants may request to voluntarily modify CRP contracts for critical feed use, such as haying and grazing. The increased demand for commodities and resulting higher prices has impacted the livestock industry.

    Implement conservation reserve program notice CRP-598:
  1. to modify conservation reserve program contracts of producers and operators; and
  2. to allow harvesting or grazing on agricultural lands enrolled in the conservation reserve.
Source: Voluntary Modification of CRP (S3337/HR6533) 08-S3337 on Jul 25, 2008

Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting.

Musgrave co-sponsored strengthening prohibitions against animal fighting

Sen. CANTWELL. I reintroduce today the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007. This legislation has won the unanimous approval of the Senate several times, but unfortunately has not yet reached the finish line.

There is no doubt, animal fighting is terribly cruel. Dogs and roosters are drugged to make them hyper-aggressive and forced to keep fighting even after suffering severe injuries such as punctured eyes and pierced lungs. It's all done for "entertainment" and illegal gambling. Some dogfighters steal pets to use as bait for training their dogs, while others allow trained fighting dogs to roam neighborhoods and endanger the public.

The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act will strengthen current law by making the interstate transport of animals for the purpose of fighting a felony and increase the punishment to three years of jail time. This is necessary because the current misdemeanor penalty has proven ineffective--considered a "cost of doing business" by those in the animal fighting industry which continues unabated nationwide.

These enterprises depend on interstate commerce, as evidenced by the animal fighting magazines that advertise and promote them. Our bill also makes it a felony to move cockfighting implements in interstate or foreign commerce. These are razor-sharp knives known as "slashers" and ice pick-like gaffs designed exclusively for cockfights and attached to the birds' legs for fighting.

This is long overdue legislation. It's time to get this felony animal fighting language enacted. It's time for Congress to strengthen the federal law so that it can provide as a meaningful deterrent against animal fighting. Our legislation does not expand the federal government's reach into a new area, but simply aims to make current law more effective. It is explicitly limited to interstate and foreign commerce, so it protects states' rights in the two states where cockfighting is still allowed.

Source: Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (S.261/H.R.137) 2007-S261 on Jan 4, 2007

Other candidates on Environment: Marilyn Musgrave on other issues:
CO Gubernatorial:
Bill Ritter
CO Senatorial:
Bob Schaffer
Ken Salazar
Mark Udall
Michael Bennet
Michael Bennett
Wayne Allard

Pending elections:
D,IL-5:Emanuel
D,CA-31:Solis
D,NY-20:Gillibrand

Special elections
in 110th Congress:

R,GA-10:Broun
D,IN-7:Carson
D,LA-6:Cazayoux
D,MD-4:Edwards
D,IL-14:Foster
D,CA-37:Richardson
R,LA-1:Scalise
D,CA-12:Speier
D,MA-5:Tsongas
R,VA-1:Wittman
GOP Freshmen
in 111th Congress:

R,OH-7:Austria
R,OH-16:Boccieri
R,LA-2:Cao
R,LA-6:Cassidy
R,UT-3:Chaffetz
R,CA-6:Coffman
R,LA-4:Fleming
R,KY-2:Guthrie
R,MS-3:Harper
R,CA-52:Hunter
R,KS-2:Jenkins
R,NJ-7:Lance
R,NY-26:Lee
R,MO-9:Luetkemeyer
R,WY-AL:Lummis
R,CA-4:McClintock
R,TX-22:Olson
R,MN-3:Paulsen
R,FL-15:Posey
R,TN-1:Roe
R,FL-16:Rooney
R,IL-18:Schock
R,PA-5:Thompson
Dem. Freshmen
in 111th Congress:

D,NJ-3:Adler
D,AL-2:Bright
D,VA-11:Connolly
D,PA-3:Dahlkemper
D,OH-1:Driehaus
D,OH-11:Fudge
D,FL-8:Grayson
D,AL-5:Griffith
D,IL-11:Halvorson
D,NM-1:Heinrich
D,CT-4:Himes
D,OH-15:Kilroy
D,AZ-1:Kirkpatrick
D,NC-8:Kissell
D,FL-24:Kosmas
D,MD-1:Kratovil
D,NM-3:Lujan
D,NY-25:Maffei
D,CO-4:Markey
D,NY-29:Massa
D,NY-13:McMahon
D,ID-1:Minnick
D,VA-5:Perriello
D,MI-9:Peters
D,ME-1:Pingree
D,CO-2:Polis
D,MI-7:Schauer
D,OR-5:Schrader
D,NM-2:Teague
D,NV-3:Titus
D,NY-21:Tonko
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