[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 24911]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          CONGRESSMAN VENTO'S OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL LEGACY

  (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, the House of 
Representatives, and particularly the Nation's environmental community, 
joined the family and constituents of Bruce Vento in mourning the loss 
of this dedicated and talented legislator earlier this month.
  In his 24 years in Congress, Bruce served with great distinction and 
achievement on the House Committee on Resources. No other Member of 
this House could match his achievement on behalf of our parks and 
public lands and no one spoke with greater eloquence or worked with 
greater accomplishment to preserve these resources for future 
generations of Americans.
  Because of his great contributions and the painfulness of his 
untimely death, it is especially discouraging to me to read the 
scorecard of the League of Conservation Voters for the 106th Congress. 
Although numerous Members have joined me in complaining about the 
League of Conservation Voters' practice of counting legitimately missed 
votes as ``no'' votes, LCV continues this unfair method of scoring. As 
a result, LCV rated Bruce Vento at just 53 percent for this Congress 
and just 7 percent for this year. Although LCV notes Bruce's death, 
they failed to note that his absences were due to his terminal illness 
and treatments.
  LCV's obstinate refusal to modify its rating system is very 
disappointing to friends in the environmental community. The ratings 
system is absurdly rigid and self-centered when dedicated 
environmentalists are marked down for illnesses or personal tragedies. 
LCV says it is looking for another way for the scoring system, but it 
will come too late to honor the memory and the achievements of Bruce 
Vento.

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