Mark Shepard for Congress and for Vermont

AP - Bennington Banner | Wednesday, September 6

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MONTPELIER (AP) — One week before the primary, the two Republican candidates for U.S. House disagreed Tuesday on President Bush's environmental record.

Martha Rainville said she strongly disagreed with the president's policy and Mark Shepard said he likely would give Bush a grade of 70 or 80 for his environmental record.

Rainville, the former head of the Vermont National Guard, said she was against the relaxation of clean air standards and drilling for oil and gas in the national wildlife refuge in Alaska.

"I think there are other things we can do before going into the reserve," she said during the forum on Vermont Public Radio. "We need to find other ways to increase domestic oil production. I do support offshore drilling with extra buffer zones."

Shepard, a state senator from Bennington County, said he has not opposed looking into the reserve for drilling but said the country may have other options.

As far as environmental policy, he said he was opposed to expanding wilderness areas. "I think that's sound environmental policy, to manage our lands and manage our waters."

Squaring off

The two candidates squared off in their third debate and largely agreed on many issues.

Shepard said the Iraq war and war on terror were linked while Rainville said she believed the Iraq war was a piece of the war on terror.

They both agreed that they would like the war to end soon but didn't want to set a deadline.

Both said they support parental notification if a minor seeks an abortion and a proposal to make it illegal to cross state lines to avoid a parental notification law while Rainville said supports a woman's right to choose an abortion and Shepard does not.

Shepard touted his business background while Rainville talked about her leadership experience as head of the National Guard.

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"... many politicians talk the talk about doing something tangible about new jobs and it doesn't go much further. Sen. Shepard walked the walk."
"Sen. Shepard's big accomplishment, and it is a significant one, lies in the major role he played in bringing the Bennington Microtech Center into being."

Bennington Banner State Senator Endorsement Editorial, October 29, 2004

Paid for by Shepard for Congress Committee