Rep. Shays Highlighted

Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) recently announced the release of its annual congressional ratings.  Once a year this report judges the records of each member of Congress in voting to reduce federal government waste, fraud, and abuse.  For more on CCAGW’s ratings, go to www.cagw.org.

CCAGW rated 27 votes in the House and 20 votes in the Senate.  Votes on the estate tax, marriage tax, capital gains tax, the $1.35 trillion Bush tax cut, and on whether to implement a Constitutional Amendment to require a 2/3 majority to raise taxes were included. 

Other votes determined how members feel about enabling the nation and individuals to be more independent.  For example, drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would enable the United States to be less dependent on Middle Eastern oil.  Allowing families to move their children out of dysfunctional public schools would improve educational opportunities and reduce federal expenditures. 

Lifting restrictions on medical savings accounts would allow individuals and families to be discerning consumers and participate in a true healthcare insurance market.  Finally, there are several votes that show who truly supports “freedom to farm” and who would rather have huge government subsidies that raise costs for everyone, especially taxpayers and the consumers.  Additional votes on pork-barrel spending were also included in CCAGW’s ratings.

Any official receiving a rating of 80 or above designates an official as a CCAGW Taxpayer Hero.

2001 RATINGS FOR CONNECTICUT REP. CHRIS SHAYS:

“Rep. Shays deserves to be congratulated for his record of standing up for taxpayers against the Washington waste status quo,” CCAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “In this time of economic and military challenge, Shays votes to keep the economy expanding and the pork at bay.”

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation's largest (one million members and supporters) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.