Berkley Decided Twice To Fund The Arts Instead Of Wildfire Prevention

Last week, a wildfire in Northern Nevada wiped out homes and injured Nevadans and today Las Vegas Congresswoman Shelley Berkley’s decided that she would bring her campaign north to meet with these victims.

What’s remarkable about today’s visit, however, isn’t that she touted it under her Senate campaign letterhead, but that Berkley voted not once, but TWICE against legislation that would transfer over $30 million from the National Endowment of Arts to the United States Forest Service to help reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires.

“As Congresswoman Shelley Berkley takes her campaign for Senate north and meets with the victims of the Caughlin Wildfire, we hope they’ll remember that on two different occasions she voted to fund the National Endowment of Arts over providing additional funds for wildfire prevention,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox.  “Whether it’s the failed stimulus, the Democrats’ government health care bill or funding the NEA at the expense of wildfire victims, Shelley Berkley’s liberal record in Washington is far outside the mainstream of Nevada voters.” 

BACKGROUND….

• SHELLEY BERKLEY VOTED AGAINST THE BEAUPREZ OF COLORADO AMENDMENT - H.R 872:  Amendment sought to reduce funding for the National Endowment for the Arts by $30 million and transfer those funds to the United States Forest Service to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires. (H.R. 5386 – House Amendment 845,  Roll Call Vote 166, 05/18/06)
• SHELLEY BERKLEY VOTED AGAINST THE STEARNS OF FLORIDA AMENDMENT - H.R 4578:  Amendment, as modified, sought to decrease National Endowment for the Arts funding by $1.9 million and increase wildland fire management funding accordingly.  (H.R. 45787 – House Amendment 816,  Roll Call Vote 212, 06/15/00)