Subject: INS story for February 19, 2004 IOWA NEWS SERVICE Ranking Iowa's Congressional Delegation on Wilderness Issues February 19, 2004 Washington D.C. --- The American Wilderness Coalition has released its yearly rating of members of Congress on how they voted on wilderness and public lands issues. Iowa's delegation gets a mixed report. Comments from Coalition board member Cindy Shogan. Suggested script: A NEW REPORT CARD FROM THE AMERICAN WILDERNESS COALITION GIVES PRESIDENT BUSH A FAILING GRADE FOR WILDERNESS PROTECTION, WHILE IOWA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION GETS A MIXED REPORT ACCORDING TO COALITION BOARD MEMBER CINDY SHOGAN. "Mr. Grassley received a failing grade and Mr. Harkin received an A, and that's exactly what they received in 2002. Mr. Nussle receives an F, Mr. Leach an A, Mr Boswell a C, and then Mr. Latham and Mr. King received Fs." SHOGAN SAYS THE REPORT ALLOWS VOTERS TO DETERMINE THEY'RE REPRESENTATIVES STAND ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. "Everybody that's running for public office would like the electorate to believe that they care about the environment or that they are a conservationist. When they care about the environment and they care particularly about wilderness, they can actually just look and easily see how their member of Congress voted." Suggested tag: SHOGAN SAYS THE NON-PARTISAN REPORT FOUND PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE RANKING HIGH AND LOW ON WILDERNESS ISSUES. Editor's note: Cindy Shogan is available for comments at 202-544-5205. The report is available at www.americanwilderness.org. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp