PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND ENDORSES SENATOR JOSEPH LIEBERMAN IN HIS 2006 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Washington D.C. -- The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today publicly announced its endorsement of Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) in his bid to retain his seat in the Senate. 

"Conservationists are in need of a strong voice in the Senate and Sen. Lieberman has shown time and time again that he is willing to be that voice, standing up for our natural heritage. From endangered species to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off of our coasts, he has been right there on the front lines fighting for our environment," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

Sen. Lieberman has an 83 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 Sen. Lieberman has been a stalwart champion of clean energy legislation and has consistently opposed the Bush administration's short-sighted energy policies. Most notably, he has been a staunch supporter of continued protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," explained Schlickeisen. 

"Joe Lieberman is a true champion for conservation. This past year he consistently cast votes in favor of protecting wildlife and preserving our wild lands," said Schlickeisen.

"The choice to send Sen. Lieberman back to Capitol Hill is an obvious one. He has clearly demonstrated that he represents the conservation values of the residents of Connecticut. We are confident that he will continue to be a leader in the protection of our nation's wildlife and natural resources," concluded Schlickeisen.