LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD

Animal advocates in NJ have much to be proud of. Both of our Senators have great records on voting for legislation to protect animals. The U.S. Representatives from Montclair and Upper Montclair also have perfect scores.


The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) publishes The Humane Scorecard every year and provides a means for checking on how your legislators in the United States Congress are voting on animal issues and whether they are sponsoring or cosponsoring bills. HSUS recently published The Humane Scorecard for the 109th Congress which ran from January 2005 to December 2006. You can read the entire HSUS Scorecard including the scores of all the US Senators and Representatives and the issues that were addressed at www.humanescorecard.org.

What You Can Do With This Information:

n Check out the records of your legislators. (see below for scores of our representatives)
n Contact those with good scores and let them know you appreciate their support for pro-animal legislation.
n Contact those with poor scores and let them know you are watching and want them to do more.
n When you receive alerts about upcoming votes on animal issues, contact your legislators and let them know your position.

Your involvement does make a difference for animals!!! Contact information for your legislators is listed below.

The Scores for our U.S. Senators And Representatives:

New Jersey's Senators:

Frank Lautenberg: 100%+

Senator Lautenberg deserves a great deal of praise for his work on behalf of animals. According to the Humane Scorecard, Frank Lautenberg consistently has an outstanding record. He received a 100+ on the latest Humane Scorecard. He is one of only 21 legislators who receieved the title of Humane Champion, which means they have been prime sponsors of pro-animal legislation and have perfect voting records on animal protection issues. Senator Lautenberg has also been recognized for speaking on behalf of pro-animal legislation during floor debate.

Within NJ, Senator Lautenberg has supported implementation of GeesePeace programs to ensure the management of NJ's Canada geese population by non-lethal methods. (visit www.geesepeace.org for more information about GeesePeace), and has called for postponement of the 2003 and 2005 bear hunts because of concerns over environmental issues and scientific uncertainty concerning the bear population.

In a 2005 letter to the Commissioner of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Senator Lautenberg wrote: "I urge you to reconsider possible viable alternatives to this hunt. This is a divisive, controversial issue in our State and I ask that you do everything in your power to avert a hunt, and to expand upon recent bear-proofing initiatives in New Jersey and give them an opportunity to work ."

Senator Lautenberg argued that removing unnatural food sources is the most important component to reducing the presence of bears where they are not wanted. This requires education and waste management near populated areas. This method may also reduce black bear breeding rates, as black bears breed more successfully and earlier when there is excess food.

" Many experts believe that the hunt will do little to reduce human-bear encounters because the bears are drawn to populated areas by the food supply. Therefore, I urge you to reconsider alternatives to the hunt, including food waste management ," concluded Lautenberg.

Robert Menendez : 100%

Senator Menendez entered the Senate when John Corzine left to become NJ's governor. He has an excellent record and has co-sponsored bills to end horse slaughter, increase penalties for animal fighting, and to prohibit the use of downed animals in food production. Hopefully, he will continue to take an active role in legislation to protect animals and become a leader in this area.


Our US Representatives:

Our local representatives, Donald Payne (Montclair) and William Pascrell (Upper Montclair), each received a score of 100% on the Humane Scorecard. The Humane Society recently named each of them Humane Advocates for their perfect records.

CONTACT INFORMATION:    (Identify yourself as a concerned citizen and be brief, concise, and polite)

Senator Frank Lautenberg
324 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3224
email: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/contact.html

Senator Robert Menendez
317 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202.224.4744
202.228.2197 fax
email: http://menendez.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Representative Donald M. Payne (Montclair)
2209 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3010
202-225-3436
email: http://www.house.gov/payne/IMA/issue.htm

Representative William J. Pascrell (Upper Montclair)
2464 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5751
email: http://www.pascrell.house.gov/feedback.cfm?campaign=pascrell&type=Contact%20Bill

 

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HUMANEmontclair :: PO Box 43204 :: Upper Montclair, N.J. 07043