Club for Growth is publishing this scorecard so our members and the public can monitor the actions and the Congressional voting records of members of Congress on economic growth issues.

2009 CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD
HOUSE (Expanded PDF file) | SENATE  (Expanded PDF file)

2008 CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD
HOUSE (Extended PDF file) | SENATE (Extended PDF file)

2007 CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD
HOUSE (Extended PDF file) | SENATE (Extended PDF file)

2006 CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD
HOUSE (Extended PDF file) | SENATE (Extended PDF file)

2005 CITIZENS CLUB FOR GROWTH SCORECARD
HOUSE (Extended PDF file) | SENATE (Extended PDF file)

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THE 2009 SCORECARD METHODOLOGY

Club for Growth is publishing this scorecard so our members and the public can monitor the actions and the voting behavior of members of Congress on economic growth issues. We conducted a comprehensive examination of each lawmaker’s record on pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for progrowth policies. Those lawmakers scoring 90 or higher receive the Defender of Economic Freedom award. The rating examines legislative actions that affect our immediate pro-economic growth policy goals, including:

•    Lower marginal income tax rates
•    Cutting and limiting government spending
•    Death Tax repeal
•    Expanding free trade
•    Legal reform to end abusive lawsuits
•    Replacing the current tax code
•    School choice
•    Regulatory reform and deregulation
•    Social Security reform with personal retirement accounts

Not all of these policy goals will come up for a vote in each session of Congress. In the 2009 Session, many of the votes were on bills that proposed laws that would directly harm these goals. Whenever possible the Club will send a “key vote” alert to each member of Congress prior to an expected roll call vote or pending legislative action that we plan to include in the scorecard. While the Club will seek to provide a “key vote” alert in all instances, it reserves the right to include any vote or action in the rating as votes often come up with little warning.

Legislative Actions Considered

The Club’s rating includes 24 House and 22 Senate roll call votes as well as other selected actions that advance or harm pro-growth policies. Points were also awarded to representatives who consistently voted to stop 68 earmarks. Points were deducted for lawmakers who sponsored anti-trade legislation and lawmakers who sponsored the health care takeover legislation by Sens. Ron Wyden and Bob Bennett. Finally, the rating also accounts for all tax, spending and regulation votes, and spending bill sponsorships.

Computation

Scores are computed on a scale of 0 to 100. Each vote or action in the rating is assigned a certain number of points depending on its relative importance. Absences are not counted against a member, though we reserve the right to do so in the future if, in our judgment, an absence was used to duck taking a position. In an attempt to include in our rating a measure of all day-to-day votes on economic growth, we awarded points based on a nonpartisan study that National Taxpayers Union compiled that analyzes “all votes that could significantly affect the amount of federal taxes, spending, debt, or regulatory impact.” These votes clearly could affect economic growth. To provide some additional guidance concerning the scores, each lawmaker was ranked. Scores and ranks can not be directly compared between the House and Senate as different votes were taken in each chamber.

Additional Factors

A study of roll call votes on the floor of the House and Senate and legislative actions is just that. It can not account for a lawmaker’s work in committee, advocacy in his party’s caucus meetings, and effectiveness as a leader in advocating pro-growth policies.