The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today released its 2020 Congressional Ratings, highlighting the voting records of all 535 voting members of Congress during the second 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 2020 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 2020, CCAGW scored 35 votes in the House of Representatives and 11 votes in the Senate.
  • In 2019, CCAGW scored 80 votes in the House of Representatives and 12 votes in the Senate.
  • 10 senators earned the coveted title of “Taxpayer Super Hero” with a perfect score of 100 percent.
    • Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
  • In 2019, six senators earned “Taxpayer Super Hero” status.
  • 80 representatives earned perfect scores of 100 percent.
    • Reps. Ralph Abraham (R-La.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Jim Baird (R-Ind.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Doug Collins (R-Ga.), James Comer (R-Ky.), K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Ron Estes (R-Kan.), A. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Mike Garcia (R-Calif.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Garret Graves (R-La.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.), French Hill (R-Ark.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), Steve King (R-Iowa), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Billy Long (R-Mo.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Alex Mooney (R-W. Va.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Pete Olson (R-Texas), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), Tom Rice (R-S.C.), Denver Riggleman (R-Va.), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Steve Scalise (R-La.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Van Taylor (R-Texas), Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), Mark Walker (R-N.C.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), Roger Williams (R-Texas), Rob Woodall (R-Ga.), and Ted Yoho (R-Fla.).
  • In 2019, 27 representatives earned “Taxpayer Super Hero” status.
  • At the other end of the spectrum, two senators and 176 representatives earned an abysmal score of zero in 2020.

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 grow, especially during the pandemic. However, there are still far too many lawmakers who supported expanding the federal bureaucratic state at taxpayer expense in 2020 with big spending bills aimed at COVID-19 ‘relief’ and ‘infrastructure.’ Hopefully, these reckless spenders will change their wasteful ways in 2021 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, the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.