Rep. Conor Lamb is Out of Step With His District

Last month the American Energy Alliance released its 2020 American Energy Scorecard results for the House of Representatives.  The AEA scorecard scores voting and co-sponsorship decisions on legislation affecting energy and environmental policy, educating voters on how their representatives vote and holding members accountable for those decisions.  

The scorecard is guided by principles such as: 

• Promoting affordable, abundant, and reliable energy
• Expanding economic opportunity and prosperity, particularly for working families and those on fixed incomes
• Giving Americans, not Washington bureaucrats, the power to make their own energy choices
• Encouraging private sector innovation and entrepreneurship
• Advancing market-oriented energy and environment policies
• Reducing the role of government in energy markets
• Eliminating the subsidies, mandates, and special interest giveaways that lead to higher energy costs

This year’s scorecard compiled 19 votes and 2 co-sponsorship decisions from the 116th Congress.  74 House members achieved a 100% score.

While many members failed to achieve a perfect score for various reasons, the most concerning scores came from those representing districts where the energy industry is a major economic driver and job creator.  One of these members is Rep. Conor Lamb, whose Pennsylvania 17^th Congressional District covers a swath of northwestern Pennsylvania outside Pittsburgh. The district lies in the heart of the Marcellus shale basin, where natural gas production has exploded over the last decade. In 2019, Pennsylvania produced a record 6.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, making the state the second largest gas producer in the country.

Rep. Lamb did not just score poorly.  His 5% score placed him near the bottom of the body along with extreme anti-energy members like Green New Deal creator Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  Rep. Lamb is clearly out of step with his constituents in the 17^th district.  His voting record might pass in New York City, but it’s not acceptable for his energy-producing district.

It also cannot be considered an accident.  AEA notifies all members in advance of votes that will be scored.  A member disagreeing with AEA’s position on one or two votes might be understandable, but Rep. Lamb shows a consistent record of votes harming the American energy industry and consumers alike.  His record of voting against the interests of his constituents should be on the mind of every voter in 2020.