The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) recentlyy released its 2019 Congressional Ratings, highlighting the voting records of all 535 voting members of Congress during the first session of the 116th Congress. The report, which CCAGW has issued since 1989, identifies members whose voting records helped protect taxpayer dollars, as well as those who consistently voted against their interests.
CCAGW 2019 Congressional Ratings Facts:
CCAGW rates members on a 0 to 100 percent scale. Members are placed in the following categories:
- Hostile: 0-19 percent.
- Unfriendly: 20-39 percent.
- Lukewarm: 40-59 percent.
- Friendly: 60-79 percent.
- Taxpayer Hero: 80-99 percent.
- Taxpayer Super Hero: 100 percent.
- In 2019, CCAGW scored 55 votes in the House of Representatives and 12 votes in the Senate.
- In 2018, CCAGW scored 55 votes in the House of Representatives and 14 votes in the Senate.
- Six senators earned the coveted title of “Taxpayer Super Hero” with a perfect score of 100 percent.
- Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).
- In 2018, four senators earned “Taxpayer Super Hero” status.
- 27 representatives earned perfect scores of 100 percent.
- Reps. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Ben Cline (R-Va.), James Comer (R-Ky.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Ron Estes (R-Kan.), Bill Flores (R-Texas), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), George Holding (R-N.C.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), John Joyce (R-Pa.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Mark Walker (R-N.C.), and Roger Williams (R-Texas).
- In 2018, 11 representatives earned 100 percent.
- At the other end of the spectrum, 38 senators and 34 representatives earned an abysmal score of zero in 2018.
CCAGW President Tom Schatz said in a statement:
“We applaud the Taxpayer Heroes for their votes to cut wasteful spending and defend the interests of taxpayers. In this unprecedented time in American history, the actions of these members are an encouraging sign, and their constituents should congratulate them. It is promising to see the number of Taxpayer Super Heroes continue to grow each year. However, there are still far too many lawmakers who supported expanding the federal bureaucratic state at taxpayer expense in 2019. Hopefully, these reckless spenders will change their porkish ways in 2020 and vote to eliminate the extensive waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement that still plagues the Washington swamp, since now more than ever the government should be spending the taxpayers’ money effectively and efficiently.”
The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.
