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2019 Environmental Scorecard for the Oregon Legislature

CLIMATE CHAMPIONS OF THE YEAR: OUR VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

2019 SCORECARD:

WHILE THE SENATE REPUBLICANS MADE HEADLINES FOR UPENDING OUR DEMOCRACY and Senate Democratic leadership gave in to their demands, young climate activists gave them all a lesson on what it means to have backbone. At the Capitol, young people showed up, as they had been doing for months and even years. In the Senate Gallery, on the Capitol Steps, outside the Senate offices, the young people were fighting for their future. They sang protest songs and, one at a time, shared why they were there. “Because all of our lives are threatened,” Summer Dean, a 22-year old youth activist said, “and they’re trading that for political gain. And it’s not worth it.”

Their future lies in the hands of today’s decision makers, and they refuse to sit idly by. Young Oregonians are not only the most vocal supporters of climate action, but they are the most deserving of being heard.

“It’s not just about protecting our animals and our environment, it’s about us,” said Summer, just hours after Senate President Peter Courtney proclaimed the Clean Energy Jobs bill dead in the Senate.

Oregonians deserve elected officials who fight for us; who choose our future over corporate quarterly profits. We deserve leaders with enough backbone to stand up to corporate lobbyists and Republican extremists. The young activists make one thing very clear: there’s too much at stake to give in or give up now.

 
 

About OLCV

The Oregon League of Conservation Voters is a non-partisan organization with a simple mission: to pass laws that protect Oregon's environmental legacy, elect pro-environment candidates to office, and hold all of our elected officials accountable.

For more information about OLCV, visit our website at olcv.org.

About the Scorecard

For more than 40 years, OLCV has protected Oregon's natural legacy. An essential part of our work is holding our elected officials accountable. The OLCV Environmental Scorecard is not only one of our most important accountability tools, but also a tradition. The first scorecard was published in 1973.

By sharing how each member of the Legislature voted on the most critical conservation bills, we help Oregonians understand whether legislators listened to their constituents, or if they listened to special interest groups instead. It also serves as a summary of environmental bills and includes special recognition of the legislative champions.

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