Washington- Congressman Joe Pitts (PA-16) has been awarded the “Taxpayer Hero” award by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) for his fiscally responsible voting record during 2007.  Rep. Pitts received a score of 94 percent.  The announcement comes on the heals of a June 2008 poll conducted by the Club for Growth that found that 54 percent of likely voters want their elected officials in Washington to cut overall spending, even if that includes cutting some money that would go to their district.
     
Congressman Pitts’ statement follows:

“I’m pleased to be called a hero of the taxpayer by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.  At a time of runaway spending, ballooning deficits, and a looming entitlement tsunami, we need many more leaders in Congress to stand up for the taxpayer and demand greater fiscal responsibility.”

Background

Since 1991, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) has examined roll-call votes to separate the taxpayer advocates in Congress from those who favor wasteful programs and pork-barrel spending. 

The 2007 Congressional Ratings cover the voting year 2007, or the first session of the 110th Congress.  CCAGW rated 100 key votes in the House.  The entire House averaged 30 percent a 1 point increase from 2006.  House Republicans averaged 60 percent, up 14 percentage points from their grade of 46 percent in 2006; House Democrats averaged 5 percent, down 4 percentage points from their 9 percent score in 2006.   House votes included 50 amendments relating to pork-barrel spending in the appropriations and authorizing bills, amendments to cut spending across the board by 1 percent and 0.5 percent, and the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  For more information, please visit http://www.ccagw.org/.

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