PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND ENDORSES REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DINGELL IN HIS 2006 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Washington D.C. -- The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today publicly announced its endorsement of Rep. John Dingell (D-3rd MI) in his bid to retain his seat in the House.

"Rep. Dingell has proven that he is willing to stand up for our natural heritage. He has been a strong voice for conservation while refusing to be bullied by the Republican majority in the House. Rep. Dingell has stood for endangered species and America's National Wildlife Refuges; he has been right there on the front lines fighting for our environment. That is why we have named him one of only eight 2006 Wildlife Heroes' in the House," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

"When the Endangered Species Act was under attack, Rep. Dingell exhibited great leadership in the fight to save this landmark law. Congressman Dingell showed his commitment to conservation by securing the signatures of 95 House members on a letter supporting the Endangered Species Act. Dingell also worked tirelessly on a bipartisan effort to offer a substitute and mobilize fellow Democrats to vote against Pombo's destructive bill when it was on the House floor."

The substitute Dingell garnered support for came very close to passing and it gave House members a viable alternative to Pombo's destructive bill. 

Rep. Dingell has an 89 percent score in the Defenders Action Fund annual 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 to protect wildlife and wild lands for future generations. The report card is available at www.defendersactionfund.org.

"The report card shows that John Dingell has been a true champion for conservation. This past year he consistently cast votes in favor of protecting wildlife and preserving our wild lands," said Schlickeisen.

To see a picture of Rep. Dingell receiving his Wildlife Hero Award please visit: http://defendersactionfund.org/newsroom/heroes.html.