2023 Congressional Ratings

Since 1989, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) has examined roll call votes to help identify which members of Congress have defended taxpayer interests and which have backed away from their promises of fiscal responsibility. The Congressional Ratings separate the praiseworthy from the profligate by evaluating important tax, spending, transparency, and accountability measures. CCAGW applauds those members of Congress who stand up for taxpayers and ignore the temptation of satisfying local and special interests. However, those who support a big-government agenda should be prepared to face the consequences of their spendthrift behavior.

CCAGW’s 2023 Congressional Ratings, for the first session of the 118th Congress, score 66 votes in the House of Representatives and 16 in the Senate. By comparison, CCAGW rated 14 votes in the House of Representatives and 25 in the Senate for the second session of the 117th Congress.

CCAGW rates members on a 0-100 percent scale. Members are placed in the following categories: 0-19 percent, Hostile; 20-39 percent, Unfriendly; 40-59 percent, Lukewarm; 60-79 percent, Friendly; 80-99 percent, Taxpayer Hero; and 100 percent, Taxpayer Super Hero.

House and Senate Breakdown

For 2023, 9 senators and 2 representatives earned the coveted title of Taxpayer Super Hero by achieving the highest possible score of 100 percent. In 2022, 10 senators and 56 representatives received a perfect score.

For 2023, there were 26 Taxpayer Heroes in the Senate and 101 in the House of Representatives. For 2022, there were 36 Taxpayer Heroes in the Senate and 138 in the House of Representatives

At the other end of the spectrum, 40 senators had the lowest score of zero percent, and 34 representatives had the lowest score of zero percent. In 2022, 45 senators had the lowest score of 4 percent, and 207 representatives had the lowest score of 7 percent.

Further Analysis

CCAGW also analyzed ratings based on party affiliation.

The averages were: Senate Republicans – 85 percent, down 2 percentage points from 87 percent in 2022; Senate Democrats, including Independents – 2 percent, down 3 percentage points from 5 percent in 2022. House Republicans – 74 percent, down 18 percentage points from 92 percent in 2022; House Democrats – 2 percent, down 6 percentage points from 8 percent in 2022.

CCAGW congratulates the members who stood by taxpayers and championed fiscal responsibility throughout the first session of the 118th Congress and encourages the constituents of non-Taxpayer Heroes to demand better results from their elected officials.