Dedication

Welcome

Overview

Senate Votes & Descriptions

Senate Chart

House Votes & Descriptions

House Chart

Current Wilderness Bills

Wilderness Legislation in the 106th (1999-2000) Congress

Sponsors and Champions
Grade List in Alphabetical Order
Senate | House

Acknowledgements

Press Release

Download Printed Wild Card as Acrobat PDF (2.6 MB)

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Wild Card

2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2002 contact: Tom Price 801-519-8950 INTRODUCING Wild Card National Report Card Grades Congress’ Stewardship of Wilderness & Public Land Washington – The independent, nonprofit American Wilderness Coalition today released Wild Card, America’s first comprehensive and quantitative analysis of congressional action on key wilderness and public lands issues, including: the fight over protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the nomination of Interior Secretary Gale Norton, development in National Monuments, off-road vehicle use on public lands, and taxpayer subsidies to timber corporations. Highlights of the grades given to Congress: 22 Senators received and A or A+. 38 Senators received an F. 130 U.S. House Members received an A or an A+. 185 U.S. House Members received an F. Only 4 Senators and 14 House Members received an A+. These 18 deserve special recognition for truly outstanding leadership in protecting America’s wilderness. "Wild Card is the first and only resource to clearly identify who is living up to their responsibility as stewards of America’s public lands and wilderness heritage, and who is not. Across America, people want to know who the real leaders are," commented Melyssa Watson, Chair of the American Wilderness Coalition Board. To produce Wild Card, the American Wilderness Coalition consulted with national and local conservation leaders from across the country to determine which issues before the 106th and 107th Congress were most important to the stewardship and protection of America’s public lands and wilderness. Once decided upon, the votes and positions of each and every Member were researched, graded and peer-reviewed for accuracy. There were eight votes graded in the Senate, and 12 in the House. "We are proud to provide this resource for the public, for the media and for conservationists who want to know who the real leaders are in wilderness conservation," added Watson. "The recent Senate fight over drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge proved that Americans want to see public lands and wilderness areas protected. Wild Card keeps track of who is standing up for that public interest, and against the special interests." To view Wild Card online or find out more about the American Wilderness Coalition, visit www.americanwilderness.org. # # #