PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND ENDORSES SENATOR LINCOLN CHAFEE IN HIS 2006 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Washington D.C. -- The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today publicly announced its endorsement of Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) in his bid to retain his seat in the U.S. Senate. 

"Lincoln Chafee is a true champion for conservation," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of the Defenders Action Fund. "This past year he repeatedly cast votes in favor of protecting wildlife and preserving our remaining wild lands. He has refused to be bullied by the anti-conservation leadership in the Senate and has proven time and time again that he is willing to stand up for our imperiled wildlife. Chafee's courage and unfailing support of our natural heritage is in keeping with the true meaning of conservatism and is unrivaled by any of his current Republican colleagues in the Senate. In fact, he is among the too few Senators who are brave enough to put protection of our endangered wildlife and public lands above partisan politics. That is why we have named him one of only four '2006 Wildlife Heroes' in the Senate"

Senator Chafee has a 100 percent score in the Defenders Action Fund 2005 conservation report card. The report card measures the commitment of U.S. Senators and Representatives to wildlife and habitat conservation during each congressional session. It reviews votes on key conservation issues, providing a clear assessment of how well members of Congress are doing in protecting wildlife and wild lands for future generations. The report card is available at www.defendersactionfund.org.

"The report card shows that Senator Chafee has been a strong champion of conservation. His leadership against attempts to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling which would not produce oil for up to 10 years and even then have no impact on gasoline prices -- has been particularly exemplary," said Schlickeisen. 

"Rhode Islanders should be proud, as we are that Senator Chafee ably chairs the Senate's Fisheries, Wildlife and Water subcommittee. In this conservation leadership role, he has effectively advocated for the interests of wildlife and opposed damaging policy proposals," explained Schlickeisen. 

"We applaud Senator Chafee's continued strong conservation voice in the Senate and his work to protect wildlife and wild places," concluded Schlickeisen.

For a picture of Sen. Chafee receiving the Wildlife Hero Award visit: http://defendersactionfund.org/newsroom/heroes.html.