(Washington, D.C.) – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today released its 2015 Congressional Ratings, highlighting the voting records of all 535 members of Congress.  The report, which CCAGW has issued since 1989, identifies members whose voting records helped protect and save the taxpayers’ money, as well as those who consistently voted against their interests.

CCAGW’s 2015 Congressional Ratings, for the first session of the 114th Congress, scored 100 votes in the House of Representatives and 35 votes in the Senate. By comparison, CCAGW rated 85 votes in the House and 13 votes in the Senate in the second session of the 113th Congress.  CCAGW rates members on a 0 to 100 percent scale.  Members are placed in the following categories: 0-19 percent; Hostile; 20-39 percent; Unfriendly; 40-59 percent;  Lukewarm; 60-79 percent; Friendly; 80-99 percent; Taxpayer Hero; 100% Taxpayer Super Hero.

In 2015, 17 lawmakers (15 senators and two representatives) earned the coveted title of “Taxpayer Super Hero” with perfect scores of 100 percent:  Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), David Vitter (R-La.), and Reps. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.).  There also were 17 perfect scores (nine Senators and eight representatives) in 2014.

While the number of Taxpayer Super Heroes remained the same, the number of Taxpayer Heroes in both chambers increased.  There are 36 Taxpayer Heroes in the Senate compared to the 23 Taxpayer Heroes in 2014.  The House has 152 Taxpayer Heroes, two more than the 150 Taxpayer Heroes in 2014.  On the other end of the spectrum, 26 representatives and 25 senators earned a dismal score of zero in 2015.

“CCAGW applauds the Taxpayer Super Heroes for their votes to cut wasteful spending and make government more accountable to taxpayers.  The actions of these members are refreshing in the current fiscal climate, and their constituents should offer them hardy congratulations.  On the other hand, far too many members of Congress in 2015 continued to support a further expansion of the federal bureaucratic behemoth at the expense of America’s taxpayers.  Hopefully, these profligate members will vote more often in 2016 to eliminate the rampant waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in Washington,” said CCAGW President Tom Schatz.

An online version of the 2015 Congressional Ratings with full vote descriptions is available at ccagwratings.org.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.