Anne Gorsuch Burford resigned as director of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1983, amid allegations of mismanagement, political manipulation and possible conflicts of interest in EPA's hazardous waste cleanup program. The House had cited her in contempt of Congress for refusing, on President Reagan's orders, to turn over EPA documents which had been subpoenaed. During her first two years on the job, enforcement at EPA declined more than 50%. Nevertheless, on July 30, 1984, President Reagan appointed Buford to chair the National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere (NACOA). Buford has no background in this area whatsoever.

Although the appointment did not require Senate approval, Senator Kennedy proposed a resolution supported by many Democrats and Republicans alike, urging the President to withdraw this appointment. It said that Burford had "abandoned the non-partisan approach to the environment shaped by Republican and Democratic Administrations for two decades."

This vote was on the Abdnor motion to kill the Kennedy Resolution. Motion rejected 18-75; July 24, 1984. NO is the pro-environmental vote. (Abdnor motion to table Kennedy amendment to Treasury Appropriations bill, H.R. 5798.) Although both the House and Senate passed resolutions urging the President to withdraw his appointment, he ignored them until Burford herself resigned the day before she was to be sworn in.