Taxpayer Watchdog Group Names Sen. John McCain a "Taxpayer Hero"

Scores 85 Percent on CCAGW`s Congressional Ratings
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today honored Sen.
John McCain (R-Ariz.) as a Taxpayer Hero for scoring 85 percent on its 2008
Congressional Ratings. The average for the entire House was 35 percent, and the
average for the Senate was 38 percent; this makes Sen. McCain`s achievement 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 110th Congress. CCAGW rated 48 key votes in the House and 42 in the Senate.

"Sen. McCain put the interests of taxpayers ahead of politics by consistently
voting 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. Sen. McCain`s votes give taxpayers hope for the future."
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 2007,
there were three House members with a perfect score. 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 2006, there were nine House members with a zero rating, and in 2007
there were only two. In 2008, however, 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.

In 2006 and 2007, there were no "Taxpayer Super Heroes" (scoring 100 percent) in
the Senate, and, unfortunately, that did not change for 2008. There were,
however, a total of 14 "Taxpayer Heroes," one fewer than the 15 in 2007. The two
highest scores were achieved by Senators Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Jim DeMint
(R-S.C.) at 98 percent. There were 17 senators with a score of zero, compared to
13 in 2007. Five senators scored zero for the second year in a row, including
current Vice President Joe Biden (D-Del.), Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii),
then-Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), Budget
Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.).

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.

CCAGW
Leslie K. Paige, 202-467-5334

Copyright Business Wire 2009