Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today honored six members of the U.S. House of Representatives as Taxpayer Heroes for their high scores in the group’s 2008 Congressional Ratings:  Nathan Deal with 91 percent, Phil Gingrey with 88 percent, Jack Kingston with 87 percent, John Linder with 95 percent, Tom Price with 94 percent, and Lynn Westmoreland with 88 percent.  The average for the entire House was 35 percent, and the average for the Senate was 38 percent; that makes these representatives’ achievements that much more impressive.  Since 1989, CCAGW has tracked roll call votes to separate the taxpayer advocates in Congress from those who favor wasteful programs and pork-barrel spending.

The 2008 Congressional Ratings cover the voting year 2008, the second session of the 110^th Congress.  CCAGW rated 48 key votes in the House and 42 in the Senate.

“These six Georgia representatives consistently put the interests of taxpayers ahead of politics during a particularly profligate spending season in Congress,” said CCAGW president Tom Schatz.  “They voted to cut wasteful spending, reduce the tax burden, and make government more accountable to taxpayers,” said CCAGW President Tom Schatz.  “The 2008 Congressional Ratings show that many elected officials continue to demonstrate little regard for the harmful effect a large and cumbersome federal government has on taxpayers’ wallets.  Out-of-control spending reigned over Capitol Hill, leading to a record $1.6 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2009, and an $11.8 trillion national debt.  Taxpayers from their respective districts should be very proud; these lawmakers’ votes give all taxpayers hope for the future.  We heartily commend them,” concluded Schatz.  House Democrats scored an average of 6 percent; House Republicans scored an average of 70 percent.  In the Senate, the average for Democrats was 4 percent, and Republicans averaged 72 percent. 

CCAGW’s website, www.ccagw.org, features the complete 2008 Congressional Ratings, including vote descriptions, scorecards for the House and Senate, and averages by chamber, party, and state delegation.  In the House, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) was the sole “Taxpayer Super Hero” with a grade of 100 percent.  In 2008, there were 59 “Taxpayer Heroes” with a grade of 80 percent or above, the same as in 2007.  The big difference was in the number of members with a perfectly abysmal score of zero.  In 2007 there were only two.  However, in 2008, the number of members with a score of zero skyrocketed to 34; a 1,600 percent increase and an indication of growing partisanship as all of them are Democrats. 

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.