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About NTU Rates Congress
Every year National Taxpayers Union (NTU) rates U.S. Representatives and Senators on their actual votes—every vote that affects taxes, spending, and debt. Unlike most organizations that publish ratings, we refuse to play the “rating game” of focusing on only a handful of congressional votes on selected issues. The NTU voting study is the fairest and most accurate guide available on congressional spending. It is a completely unbiased accounting of votes.
NTU has no partisan axe to grind. All members of Congress are treated the same regardless of political affiliation. Our only constituency is the overburdened American taxpayer. Grades are given impartially, based on the Taxpayer Score.
Taxpayer Score
The Taxpayer Score measures the strength of support for reducing spending and opposing higher taxes. In general, a higher score is better because it means a member of Congress voted to spend less money.
The Taxpayer Score can range between zero and 100. We do not expect anyone to score a 100, nor has any legislator ever scored a perfect 100 in the multi-year history of the comprehensive NTU scoring system. A high score does not mean that the member of Congress was opposed to all spending or all programs. High-scoring members have indicated that they would vote for many programs if the amount of spending were lower or if the budget were balanced. A member who wants to increase spending on some programs can achieve a high score if he or she votes for offsetting cuts in other programs. A zero score would indicate that the member of Congress approved every spending proposal and opposed every pro-taxpayer reform.
NTU believes a score qualifying for a grade of “A” indicates the member is one of the strongest supporters of responsible tax and spending policies. We are pleased to give these members of Congress our “Taxpayers’ Friend Award.”
A score qualifying for a grade of “B” represents a “good” voting record on controlling spending and taxes. A “B” grade indicates that the member voted for taxpayers most of the time, but slightly less than those who attained the grade of “A.”
A score qualifying for a grade of “C” represents a minimally acceptable voting record on controlling taxes and spending. To qualify for a grade of “C” a member must have a Taxpayer Score of at least 50 percent. While such score may be “satisfactory,” there is clearly room for improvement.
We also issue pluses and minuses for the grades of “B” and “C” in order to better recognize the differences in the voting records of members with these grades.
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Taxpayer ScoresSenate House
30% Average 40%23% Median 15%98% High 95%2% Low 5%
Party ScoresSenate Democrats Avg. 8%House Democrats Avg. 10%Senate Republicans Avg. 49%House Republicans Avg. 75%
A score qualifying for a grade of “D” indicates the member has a “poor” voting record on controlling taxes and spending.
A score significantly below average qualifies for a grade of “F.” This failing grade places the member into the “Big Spender” category.
Computation
NTU’s federal budget experts assigned a weight to each vote. A low weight was assigned to votes that had relatively little effect on the size of the federal budget, while a high weight was assigned to votes with the most significant effect on federal spending.
Weights were based solely on the relative effect of each vote on the total amount of federal spending. Consideration was given to the political effect of a vote on the future federal spending, even though relatively little spending might be immediately at issue.
Scores were computed by dividing the weighted total of votes cast against higher spending (or taxes or for lower spending or taxes), by the weighted total number of spending and tax issues on which the member of Congress voted. Average scores for each state were also computed using the weighted total of votes cast by each state delegation.
In computing these scores, we included only those votes on which the member actually voted for or against a bill, resolution, or amendment. Paired votes, announced positions, and absences were excluded. Because some members were absent frequently, cast certain votes to permit the usage of procedural tools, (or otherwise failed to vote yes or no), their scores, based on relatively few votes, may not accurately reflect spending attitudes. The members falling into this category are noted.
We analyzed every roll call vote taken in the Second Session of the 116th Congress and selected all votes that could significantly affect the amounts of federal taxes, spending, debt, or regulatory impact. A total of 43 Senate and 153 House votes were selected. We included votes cast on appropriations bills, authorization bills, budget target resolutions, tax bills, amendments, and certain procedural votes that could affect the burden on taxpayers. Votes that simply shifted equal amounts of spending from one area to another were excluded. Also excluded were votes where there was a significant difference of opinion on how to vote to reduce or control government and unanimous votes.
National Taxpayers Union Rates Congress, 116th Congress, First Session, 2019
Alabama
Jones 7% F
Shelby 32% DState Average 20%
Alaska
Murkowski 21% DSullivan 35% D
State Average 28%Arizona
McSally 25% DSinema 8% F
State Average 17%Arkansas
Boozman 23% DCotton 41% C-
State Average 32%California
Feinstein 4% FHarris K. N/A N/A
State Average 4%Colorado
Bennet** 22% DGardner 31% D
State Average 27%
Connecticut
Blumenthal 3% FMurphy, C. 4% FState Average 4%
Delaware
Carper 25% DCoons 3% F
State Average 14%Florida
Rubio 57% CScott, R. 44% C-
State Average 51%Georgia
Isakson N/A N/APerdue 42% C-
State Average 42%Hawaii
Hirono 4% FSchatz 4% F
State Average 4%Idaho
Crapo 58% CRisch 76% B+
State Average 67%
Illinois
Duckworth 3% FDurbin 4% F
State Average 4%Indiana
Braun 95% AYoung, T. 38% D
State Average 67%Iowa
Ernst 59% CGrassley 45% C-
State Average 52%Kansas
Moran 40% C-Roberts 23% D
State Average 32%Kentucky
McConnell N/A N/APaul 95% A
State Average 95%Louisiana
Cassidy* 47% C-Kennedy, J. 74% BState Average 61%
Maine
Collins 17% FKing, A. 8% F
State Average 13%Maryland
Cardin 3% FVan Hollen 10% FState Average 7%
Massachusetts
Markey 21% DWarren N/A N/A
State Average 21%Michigan
Peters, G. 3% FStabenow 3% F
State Average 3%
SENATE KEY
SCORE GRADE COMMENTS 80% or more A Taxpayers' Friend75 - 79 B+
Good70 - 74 B65 - 69 B-60 - 64 C+
Satisfactory 50 - 59 C40 - 49 C-20 - 39 D PoorLess than 20 F Big Spender* Score based on less than 90% but more than 75% of total weighted votes cast.
** Score based on less than 75% but more than 50% of total weighted votes cast.
N/A Voted on 50% or less of total weighted votes cast; score and grade not issued.
Based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy; see front pages for methodology.
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United States Senate
Minnesota
Klobuchar** 21% DSmith, T. 3% F
State Average 12%Mississippi
Hyde-Smith 27% DWicker 26% D
State Average 27%Missouri
Blunt 23% DHawley 49% C-
State Average 36%Montana
Daines 73% BTester 13% F
State Average 43%Nebraska
Fischer 66% B-Sasse 78% B+
State Average 72%Nevada
Cortez Masto 3% FRosen 2% F
State Average 3%New Hampshire
Hassan 3% FShaheen 4% F
State Average 4%New Jersey
Booker N/A N/AMenendez 4% F
State Average 4%New Mexico
Heinrich 4% FUdall 4% F
State Average 4%New York
Gillibrand** 28% DSchumer 8% F
State Average 18%
North Carolina
Burr* 23% DTillis 48% C-
State Average 36%North Dakota
Cramer 24% DHoeven 24% D
State Average 24%Ohio
Brown, S. 4% FPortman 21% D
State Average 13%Oklahoma
Inhofe 46% C-Lankford 74% B
State Average 60%Oregon
Merkley 18% FWyden 17% F
State Average 18%Pennsylvania
Casey 3% FToomey* 81% A
State Average 42%Rhode Island
Reed, J.* 4% FWhitehouse 5% FState Average 5%
South Carolina
Graham 23% DScott, T. 76% B+
State Average 50%South Dakota
Rounds 28% DThune 25% D
State Average 27%Tennessee
Alexander* 25% DBlackburn 79% B+
State Average 52%
National Taxpayers Union Rates Congress, 116th Congress, First Session, 2019
Texas
Cornyn 61% C+Cruz 86% A
State Average 74%Utah
Lee, M. 98% ARomney 71% B
State Average 85%Vermont
Leahy 4% FSanders N/A N/A
State Average 4%Virginia
Kaine 4% FWarner 3% F
State Average 4%Washington
Cantwell 3% FMurray 3% F
State Average 3%West Virginia
Capito 24% DManchin 17% F
State Average 21%Wisconsin
Baldwin 4% FJohnson, R. 65% B-State Average 35%
Wyoming
Barrasso 66% B-Enzi 72% B
State Average 69%
United States Senate
CaliforniaAguilar 12% FBarragan 12% FBass 14% FBera 6% FBrownley 6% FCalvert 62% C+Carbajal 6% FCardenas 12% FChu 12% FCisneros 7% FCook 61% C+Correa 12% FCosta 8% FCox 7% FDavis, S. 6% FDeSaulnier 13% FEshoo 11% FGaramendi 7% FGomez 15% FHarder 11% FHill, K.* 9% FHuffman 16% FHunter* 85% B+Khanna 14% FLaMalfa 75% B-Lee, B. 16% FLevin 6% FLieu 13% FLofgren 13% F
Lowenthal 14% FMatsui 8% FMcCarthy 67% C+McClintock 94% AMcNerney 8% FNapolitano 14% FNunes 74% B-Panetta 9% FPelosi N/A N/APeters, S. 12% FPorter 6% FRouda 6% FRoybal-Allard 12% FRuiz 6% FSanchez 12% FSchiff 8% FSherman 7% FSpeier 12% FSwalwell** 9% FTakano 12% FThompson, M. 8% FTorres 12% FVargas 13% FWaters 11% FState Average 19%
ColoradoBuck 95% ACrow 6% FDeGette 14% FLamborn 85% B+Neguse 14% FPerlmutter 6% FTipton 75% B-State Average 42%
ConnecticutCourtney 6% FDeLauro 7% FHayes 6% FHimes 7% FLarson, J. 6% FState Average 6%
DelawareBlunt, R. 8% FState Average 8%
AlabamaAderholt 66% C+Brooks, M. 89% AByrne 86% APalmer 89% ARoby 59% CRogers, M. 74% B-Sewell 6% FState Average 67%
AlaskaYoung 56% CState Average 56%
ArizonaBiggs 94% AGallego 11% FGosar 93% AGrijalva 15% FKirkpatrick 7% FLesko 85% B+O'Halleran 6% FSchweikert 88% AStanton 9% FState Average 45%
ArkansasCrawford 80% BHill, F. 68% C+Westerman 82% B+Womack 63% C+State Average 73%
United States House of Representatives
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HOUSE KEY
SCORE GRADE COMMENTS 86% or more A Taxpayers' Friend81 - 85 B+
Good76 - 80 B71 - 75 B-60 - 70 C+
Satisfactory 50 - 59 C40 - 49 C-22 - 39 D PoorLess than 22 F Big Spender* Score based on less than 90%, but more than 75%, of weighted total votes cast.
** Score based on less than 75%, but more than 50%, of weighted total votes.
N/A Voted on 50% or less of weighted total votes cast; score and grade not issued.
Based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy; see front pages for methodology.
FloridaBilirakis 69% C+Buchanan 65% C+Castor 8% FCrist 6% FDemings 6% FDeutch 8% FDiaz-Balart 54% CDunn 67% C+Frankel 7% FGaetz 87% AHastings* 10% FLawson 6% FMast 69% C+Mucarsel-Powell 7% FMurphy 13% FPosey 76% BRooney** 78% BRutherford 61% C+Shalala 6% FSoto 7% FSpano 80% BSteube 90% AWaltz 75% B-Wasserman 8% FWebster 76% BWilson, F. 7% FYoho 84% B+State Average 42%
Georgia
Allen 82% B+Bishop, S. 7% FCarter, E.L. 81% B+Collins, D. 77% BFerguson 76% BGraves, T. 77% BHice 90% AJohnson, H. 7% FLewis, J.* 9% FLoudermilk 84% B+McBath 7% FScott, A. 80% BScott, D. 6% F
Woodall 72% B-
State Average 54%Hawaii
Case 6% FGabbard** 8% FState Average 7%
Idaho
Fulcher 86% ASimpson 56% CState Average 71%
Illinois
Bost 55% CBustos 6% FCasten 7% FDavis, D. 10% FDavis, R. 50% CFoster 6% FGarcia 15% FKelly, R. 6% FKinzinger 50% CKrishnamoorthi 6% FLaHood 86% ALipinski 12% FQuigley 8% FRush 8% FSchakowsky 14% FSchneider 7% FShimkus* 80% BUnderwood 6% FState Average 24%
Indiana
Baird 71% B-Banks 86% ABrooks, S. 64% C+Bucshon 77% BCarson 7% FHollingsworth 73% B-Pence, G. 64% C+Visclosky 6% FWalorski 71% B-State Average 58%
National Taxpayers Union Rates Congress, 116th Congress, First Session, 2019
United States House of Representatives Iowa
Axne 8% FFinkenauer 8% FKing, S. 85% B+Loebsack 6% FState Average 27%
Kansas
Davids 7% FEstes 85% B+Marshall 76% BWatkins 82% B+State Average 63%
Kentucky
Barr A. 78% BComer 85% B+Guthrie 73% B-Massie 95% ARogers, H. 62% C+Yarmuth 8% FState Average 67%
Louisiana
Abraham** 80% BGraves, G. 77% BHiggins, C. 89% AJohnson, M. 88% ARichmond 11% FScalise 75% B-State Average 70%
Maine
Golden 10% FPingree 8% FState Average 9%
Maryland
Brown, A. 7% FCummings** 9% FHarris, A. 86% AHoyer 6% FRaskin 14% FRuppersberger 6% FSarbanes 8% FTrone 7% FState Average 18%
Massachusetts
Clark, K. 8% FKeating 6% FKennedy 14% FLynch 6% FMcGovern 14% FMoulton* 7% FNeal 8% FPressley 27% DTrahan 12% FState Average 11%
Michigan
Amash 95% ABergman 66% C+Dingell 8% FHuizenga 82% B+Kildee 10% FLawrence 7% FLevin 14% FMitchell 74% B-Moolenaar 74% B-Slotkin 7% FStevens 6% FTlaib 23% DUpton 50% CWalberg 72% B-State Average 42%
Minnesota
Craig 6% FEmmer 84% B+Hagedorn 72% B-McCollum 8% FOmar 30% DPeterson 19% FPhillips 6% FStauber 55% CState Average 35%
Mississippi
Guest 78% BKelly, T. 84% B+Palazzo 71% B-Thompson 8% FState Average 60%
Missouri
Clay 9% FCleaver 7% FGraves, S. 78% BHartzler 64% C+Long 80% BLuetkemeyer 61% C+Smith, J. 87% AWagner 72% B-State Average 57%
Montana
Gianforte 76% BState Average 76%
Nebraska
Bacon 64% C+Fortenberry 52% CSmith 78% BState Average 65%
Nevada
Amodei 71% B-Horsford 7% FLee 9% F
Titus 12% FState Average 25%
New Hampshire
Kuster 10% FPappas 10% FState Average 10%
New Jersey
Gottheimer 7% FKim 6% FMalinowski 6% FNorcross 11% FPallone 15% FPascrell 11% FPayne 8% FSherrill 6% FSires 6% FSmith, C. 32% DVan Drew 5% FWatson 13% FState Average 11%
New Mexico
Haaland 10% FLujan, B.R. 11% FTorres 7% FState Average 9%
New York
Brindisi 13% FClarke, Y. 16% FCollins, C.** 56% CDelgado 7% FEngel 14% FEspaillat 17% FHiggins, B. 7% FJeffries 7% FKatko 37% DKing, P. 47% C-Lowey 7% FMaloney, C. 12% FMaloney, S.P. 6% FMeeks* 9% FMeng 15% FMorelle 7% FNadler 11% FOcasio-Cortez 29% DReed, T. 57% CRice, K. 11% FRose 7% FSerrano* 10% FStefanik 45% C-Suozzi 10% FTonko 13% FVelazquez 15% FZeldin 72% B-State Average 21%
North Carolina
Adams 8% FBishop N/A N/ABudd 90% AButterfield 9% FFoxx 84% B+Holding 87% AHudson 82% B+McHenry 70% C+
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United States House of Representatives
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Meadows 89% AMurphy N/A N/APrice 8% FRouzer 83% B+Walker* 87% AState Average 63%
North Dakota
Armstrong 75% B-State Average 75%
Ohio
Balderson 77% BBeatty 8% FChabot 84% B+Davidson 89% AFudge 6% FGibbs 74% B-Gonzalez 66% C+Johnson, B. 72% B-Jordan 91% AJoyce 54% CKaptur 7% FLatta 86% ARyan* 8% FStivers 58% CTurner 57% CWenstrup 83% B+State Average 58%
Oklahoma
Cole 58% CHern 87% AHorn 10% FLucas* 66% C+Mullin 86% AState Average 61%
Oregon
Blumenauer 22% DBonamici 12% FDeFazio 15% FSchrader 15% FWalden 55% CState Average 24%
Pennsylvania
Boyle 11% FCartwright 7% FDean 8% FDoyle 13% FEvans 8% FFitzpatrick 22% DHoulahan 6% FJoyce 87% AKeller** 83% B+Kelly, M. 85% B+Lamb 6% FMarino N/A N/AMeuser 74% B-Perry 89% AReschenthaler 62% C+Scanlon 8% FSmucker 84% B+Thompson, G. 59% CWild 6% FState Average 40%
Rhode Island
Cicilline 8% FLangevin 6% FState Average 7%
South Carolina
Clyburn* 6% FCunningham 12% FDuncan 89% ANorman 91% ARice, T. 88% ATimmons 88% AWilson, J. 69% C+State Average 63%
South Dakota
Johnson 83% B+State Average 83%
Tennessee
Burchett 85% B+Cohen 13% FCooper 11% FDesJarlais 85% B+Fleischmann 64% C+Green 86% AKustoff 72% B-Roe 77% BRose 82% B+State Average 64%
National Taxpayers Union Rates Congress, 116th Congress, First Session, 2019
HOUSE KEY
SCORE GRADE COMMENTS 86% or more A Taxpayers' Friend81 - 85 B+
Good76 - 80 B71 - 75 B-60 - 70 C+
Satisfactory 50 - 59 C40 - 49 C-22 - 39 D PoorLess than 22 F Big Spender* Score based on less than 90%, but more than 75%, of weighted total votes cast.
** Score based on less than 75%, but more than 50%, of weighted total votes.
N/A Voted on 50% or less of weighted total votes cast; score and grade not issued.
Based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy; see front pages for methodology.
Texas
Allred 9% FArrington 88% ABabin 77% BBrady 76% BBurgess 84% B+Carter, J. 67% C+Castro 15% FCloud 89% AConaway 72% B-Crenshaw 70% C+Cuellar 15% FDoggett 19% FEscobar 13% FFletcher 9% FFlores 79% BGarcia 14% FGohmert 92% AGonzalez 16% FGooden 86% AGranger 63% C+Green, A. 11% FHurd 45% C-Jackson Lee 10% FJohnson, E.B. 7% FMarchant 83% B+McCaul 61% C+Olson 80% BRatcliffe 88% ARoy 90% ATaylor 89% AThornberry 69% C+Veasey 7% FVela 17% FWeber 83% B+Williams 82% B+Wright* 91% AState Average 55%
Utah
Bishop, R. 71% B-Curtis 88% AMcAdams 29% DStewart 78% BState Average 67%
Vermont
Welch 14% FState Average 14%
Virginia
Beyer 8% FCline 91% AConnolly 7% FGriffith 84% B+Luria 5% FMcEachin* 8% FRiggleman 81% B+Scott, R. 7% FSpanberger 12% FWexton 6% FWittman 81% B+State Average 35%
Washington
DelBene 7% FHeck 9% FHerrera Beutler* 51% CJayapal 15% FKilmer 6% FLarsen, R. 8% FMcMorris Rodgers 79% BNewhouse 60% C+Schrier 6% FSmith, A. 11% FState Average 25%
United States House of Representatives
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West Virginia
McKinley 58% CMiller 70% C+Mooney 85% B+State Average 71%
Wisconsin
Duffy** 77% BGallagher 75% B-Grothman 90% AKind 14% FMoore 12% FPocan 18% FSensenbrenner 88% ASteil 82% B+State Average 57%
Wyoming
Cheney 65% C+State Average 65%
HOUSE KEY
SCORE GRADE COMMENTS 86% or more A Taxpayers' Friend81 - 85 B+
Good76 - 80 B71 - 75 B-60 - 70 C+
Satisfactory 50 - 59 C40 - 49 C-22 - 39 D PoorLess than 22 F Big Spender* Score based on less than 90%, but more than 75%, of weighted total votes cast.
** Score based on less than 75%, but more than 50%, of weighted total votes.
N/A Voted on 50% or less of weighted total votes cast; score and grade not issued.
Based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy; see front pages for methodology.
National Taxpayers Union Rates Congress, 116th Congress, First Session, 2019
Since 1969, National Taxpayers Union (NTU), has been the “Voice of America’s Taxpayers.” The nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, NTU fights for lower taxes, smaller budgets, and economic freedom at all levels of government. As taxpayers’ lobbyists, we work to ensure that all Americans are able to pursue their dreams without the heavy hand of government holding them back.
NTU is a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit, advocating on behalf of taxpayers, not political parties.
Contact Kevin Glass, [email protected], (703) 299-8670 122 C St NW Ste. 650,Washington, DC 20001
NTU.org
