NV-03 House Race Backgrounder

Susie Lee Is A Climate Champion Who Will Protect Our Progress 

Representative Susie Lee has been a climate champion for Nevadans. She acknowledges the urgency of addressing climate change and has worked to pass legislation addressing all of its worst byproducts. To protect Nevadans’ access to clean water, Rep. Susie Lee introduced legislation to address drought and water shortages caused by climate change. She has also introduced legislation to hold Big Oil accountable and cut down on harmful, unproductive oil and gas leasing on public lands that could be used for more efficient energy production, conservation efforts, or affordable housing. Legislation that Rep. Susie Lee supported has already spurred over $14.5 billion in investment and has helped create 20,448 new clean energy jobs in the Silver State, including 288 jobs in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District.

In stark contrast, Drew Johnson is attempting to run for House and has made criticizing the clean energy transition a centerpiece of his campaign. Johnson questioned the notion that our climate is at stake and has even claimed that Nevada is not facing a water crisis. In contrast to Rep. Susie Lee’s work to address extreme heat and megadroughts and transition to a clean energy economy, Johnson prefers to stop the progress made and increase natural gas production. It’s clear that Drew Johnson would be a threat to Nevadans if elected. 

Drew Johnson is completely out of touch with the Nevadans. While 76% of Nevadans – including 70% of Republicans – support keeping clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits in place, Drew Johnson has repeatedly criticized the legislation that has led to Nevada’s clean energy boom. In Nevada, the impacts of climate change will mean more frequent and intense heat waves, decreased flow of water in the Colorado and other rivers, and increased frequency and intensity of wildfires. The state’s agriculture, its economy, and people’s health will all be hurt: 

• In the past decade, Nevada has experienced 12 billion-dollar climate-related disasters that caused $143.8 billion in damages and killed 801 people. 
• Summer 2024 was the hottest summer on record in Las Vegas, with the average temperature reaching 96.2 and breaking the 93.7 record set in 2018.

• Las Vegas is the second-fastest warming city. East Las Vegas, a predominantly Latino community, experiences higher temperatures than other neighborhoods due to the urban heat island effect, a significantly lower tree canopy, and older buildings that cannot regulate heat well.
• The megadrought that gripped the southwestern U.S. in 2022 was the worst in at least 1,200 years. A November 2023 study by the Bureau of Reclamation found Lake Mead may hit its lowest water level in 2025. Lake Mead is the drinking water source for more than 95% of the population and businesses in Clark County.
• Nevada has some of the worst air quality in the nation. For the first time since 2018, Las Vegas reentered the list of the 25 worst cities for annual particle pollution. The Las Vegas-Henderson metropolitan area ranked 11th for high ozone days, 23rd for 24-hour particle pollution, and 20th for annual particle pollution.

Advancing Climate Action

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As of June 2024, Nevada has received over $4 billion in funding from the Lee-backed clean energy plan – that’s money going to communities all across the state, including Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District, to promote drought and climate resiliency, reduce pollution, and advance climate-smart agriculture. Rep. Lee recognized the threat of the climate crisis and has voted for legislation to address the issue, while Drew Johnson thinks the climate is just a tool to manipulate people.  

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• Rep. Lee has received a lifetime environmental score of 97% from the League of Conservation Voters. 
• Rep. Lee recognizes that climate change is real and that Nevadans are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. 
• Rep. Lee also recognized the urgency of acting on climate change.
• In 2021, Rep. Lee’s amendment to the bipartisan Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST) in America Act was adopted. The amendment would require that future wastewater infrastructure is designed and constructed to withstand potential impacts of climate change.
• In 2021, Rep. Lee voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included her Large-Scale Water Recycling Project Investment Act. 
• In 2024, Johnson criticized Rep. Lee’s LCV score of 100% for 2023 and called the organization “green nut extremists.”
• In 2023, Johnson said that when he thinks about “climate,” he thinks it is either weather or “something used to trick people into accepting socialist policies.” 

Expanding The Clean Energy Economy

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The clean energy plan has already spurred investments and helped create 288 jobs in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District. Rep. Susie Lee has led on the transition to a clean energy economy, while Drew Johnson has criticized all the progress made and spread disinformation on the issue.

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• Rep. Lee voted for the clean energy plan and said that the “legislation will cut families’ costs, put money back in Nevadans’ pockets, and combat our climate crisis, all while lowering the deficit and fighting inflation.”
• Rep. Lee led on bills like the SHINE Act to speed up rooftop solar deployment.
• According to his campaign website, Johnson is in favor of increasing natural gas production over a clean energy expansion. 
• In 2024, Johnson claimed that Rep. Lee’s “environmental extremist votes increased the cost of electric bills in Las Vegas by 37%.” 
• In 2024, Johnson criticized the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s funding for the expansion of EV infrastructure. 
• In 2023, Johnson criticized the clean energy plan and claimed that President Joe Biden and Rep. Lee are “screwing over” factory workers. 
• In 2023, Johnson criticized the increase in clean energy projects in Nevada. 
• In 2023, Johnson falsely claimed that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission wanted to ban gas stoves.  
• In 2023, Johnson blamed Rep. Lee for “pushing an extreme anti-American energy agenda.”
• In 2023, Johnson claimed that the EV infrastructure expansion was “insane.”

Extreme Heat & Drought

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In the last few years, Nevada has faced a megadrought that is the worst in at least 1,200 years. Rep. Susie Lee has fought to conserve water and introduced legislation that addresses drought and water shortages caused by climate change. In stark contrast, Drew Johnson refused to acknowledge the water crisis affecting Nevadans and dangerously spread disinformation that it would be impossible for the state to run out of clean water. 

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• Rep. Lee stated that she will fight to conserve water. 
• In 2019, Rep. Lee celebrated the Climate Action Now Act, which included her amendment addressing drought and water shortages caused by climate change.
• In 2023, Johnson falsely claimed that it would be almost impossible for Nevada to run out of clean water and that the water crisis is exaggerated. 
• In 2024, Johnson applauded people for “braving” the oppressive heat just to see Trump speak. 

Holding Big Oil Accountable

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Rep. Susie Lee has fought to protect Nevadan families from Big Oil, called for a clean energy transition, and voted to protect public lands from oil and gas drilling. Meanwhile, Drew Johnson has criticized the efforts of the Biden-Harris administration to protect public lands. 

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• In 2023, Rep. Lee introduced the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act to hold Big Oil accountable and cut down on harmful, unproductive oil and gas leasing on public lands that could be used for more efficient energy production, conservation efforts, or affordable housing.  
• Rep. Lee called out Big Oil for price-gouging consumers. 
• Referring to the Biden-Harris administration’s proposal to block thousands of acres from future oil drilling or mining in northern New Mexico in an effort to protect Native American lands, Johnson claimed that banning oil drilling in New Mexico will exacerbate the energy crisis and increase gas prices.
• In 2023, Johnson criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s decision to cancel all remaining oil and gas leases issued under the last administration in the Arctic Refuge.