NV-04 House Race Backgrounder

Steven Horsford Is A Climate Champion Who Will Protect Our Progress 

Throughout his congressional terms, Rep. Steven Horsford has been a climate champion for Nevadans. He has worked to pass legislation addressing all of climate change’s worst byproducts. Rep. Horsford stressed the impact of the climate crisis, including drought and extreme heat events, on Nevadans’ health. Rep. Horsford celebrated the $15 million federal funding from the clean energy plan to expand tree coverage and combat extreme heat in Nevada. On water pollution, Rep. Horsford has cosponsored bills to remove lead from drinking water in schools. Rep. Horsford has also worked to hold Big Oil accountable while in office. He criticized oil and gas companies for their record profits while raising prices and called for more investment in clean energy. In fact, legislation that Rep. Horsford 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 $1.6 billion in investment and 1,350 jobs in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. 

In stark contrast, John J. Lee is attempting to run for Congress and has yet to make any plans to protect Nevadans from the climate crisis. While Rep. Horsford has worked to address extreme weather and air and water pollution, Lee has not said or done anything to address the impacts of the climate crisis—rather, he wants to return to Trump-era policies. It’s clear that Lee would be a threat to Nevadans if elected. 

John J. Lee is entirely out of touch with the climate reality facing Nevadans and he would directly threaten jobs in the state’s clean energy industry. While 76% of Nevadans – including 70% of Republicans – support keeping clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits in place, Lee wants to follow Trump’s policies, which are controlled by Big Oil’s agenda. 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. 

Advancing Climate Action

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As of June 2024, Nevada has received over $4 billion in funding from the Horsford-backed clean energy plan – that’s money going to communities all across the state, including Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, to promote drought and climate resiliency, reduce pollution, and advance climate-smart agriculture. Rep. Steven Horsford has cosponsored and voted for legislation that addressed climate change, while John J. Lee wants to return to Trump-era policies that destroy all the progress made.  

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• Rep. Horsford has received a lifetime environmental score of 90% from the League of Conservation Voters. 
• In 2019, Rep. Horsford cosponsored H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, requiring “the President to develop and update annually a plan for the United States to meet its nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement on climate change.” 
• In 2014, Rep. Horsford voted to require Congress to accept the science of climate change. The Electricity Security and Affordability Act “would require Congress to accept the scientific findings that man-made carbon pollution contributes to climate change and that climate change has a wide range of negative effects.”
• Lee is endorsed by Donald Trump, who has promised to repeal the clean energy plan and destroy all the progress made in climate action across the Silver State. 
• Lee stated that he was ready to return to Trump’s policies and, during his campaign for governor, and said he would “follow the Trump agenda.”   

Expanding The Clean Energy Economy

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The clean energy plan has already spurred over $1.6 billion in investment and helped create 1,350 jobs in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. Rep. Steven Horsford has touted a clean energy transition, while John J. Lee wants to return to Trump’s policies and destroy all the progress made to build a clean energy economy.

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• Rep. Horsford voted for the clean energy plan, which has already spurred $14.5 billion in investment and helped create 20,448 new clean energy jobs in the Silver State. 
• In 2021, Rep. Horsford voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has already started to enhance solar energy accessibility across Nevada. 
• Lee is endorsed by Donald Trump, who has promised to repeal the clean energy plan and destroy all the progress made to build a clean energy economy in Nevada. 
• Lee stated that he was ready to return to Trump’s policies and, during his campaign for governor, said he would “follow the Trump agenda.”   

Air Pollution

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Air quality remains an issue in Nevada, and communities of color bear the brunt of air pollution. Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Steven Horsford has fought to reduce emissions and keep pollution standards. Meanwhile, John J. Lee has remained silent on how he plans to improve air quality for Nevadans. 

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• Rep. Horsford voted against legislation that would have prevented the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing standards to reduce carbon pollution and limit carbon pollution from power plants.
• In 2019, Rep. Horsford voted to halt the Trump administration’s rollback of the Mercury and Air Toxics standards.
• In 2014, Rep. Horsford voted to preserve the Department of the Interior’s authority to reduce methane pollution from oil and gas drilling operations on public lands. 
• Lee has no plans to reduce air pollution in Nevada. 

Water Pollution

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Rep. Steven Horsford has cosponsored and supported legislation to bring healthy drinking water to Nevadans. In stark contrast, John J. Lee has made no plans to tackle water pollution. 

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• In 2021, Rep. Horsford voted to develop national regulations for PFAS chemicals and voted to develop drinking water standards for PFAS forever chemicals.  
• In 2020, Rep. Horsford voted for an amendment that would have invested $4.5 billion annually over five years to fully replace lead service lines.
• In 2019, Rep. Horsford cosponsored The Get The Lead Out Of Schools Act.
• Lee has no plans to tackle water pollution in Nevada.

Extreme Heat

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Nevada’s increased temperature and extreme heat events put people’s health and lives at risk. Rep. Steven Horsford has touted federal funding to combat extreme heat in Nevada and has stressed how climate change can impact Nevadans’ health. While Nevada’s 4th Congressional District faced increasing temperatures that put constituent’s health and lives at risk, John J. Lee has no plans to mitigate extreme heat. 

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• In 2023, Rep. Horsford celebrated the $15 million federal funding from the clean energy plan to expand tree coverage and combat extreme heat in Nevada. 
• In 2022, during a House Committee hearing, Rep. Horsford stressed the impact of the climate crisis, including drought and extreme heat events, on Nevadans’ health. 
• Lee has no plans to mitigate extreme heat. 

Holding Big Oil Accountable

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Rep. Steven Horsford has fought to protect Nevadan families from Big Oil, called for a clean energy transition, and voted to protect public lands and oceans from oil and gas drilling. Meanwhile, John J. Lee prefers to follow Trump’s policies, which are clearly controlled by Big Oil. 

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• In 2022, Rep. Horsford voted for legislation to crack down on price gouging by oil companies and bring down costs for Nevadan families. 
• In 2022, Rep. Horsford criticized oil and gas companies for price gouging and called for investing in clean energy.
• In 2021, Rep. Horsford voted to protect the Grand Canyon from new uranium leasing. 
• In 2019, Rep. Horsford also voted to prevent oil drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 
• In 2019, Rep. Horsford also voted to protect Chaco Canyon from oil and gas development.
• Lee has no plans to hold Big Oil accountable and has stated he is ready to follow Trump’s agenda. 
• Lee received $1,000 from the oil and gas industry for his 2024 campaign.