{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://rokita.house.gov/press-release/nation%E2%80%99s-largest-taxpayer-group-honors-congressman-rokita-%E2%80%9Ctaxpayers%E2%80%99-friend-award%E2%80%9D", "Nations Largest Taxpayer Group Honors Congressman Rokita with Taxpayers Friend Award", "2014-09-18", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Todd Rokita", "R000592", "rokita.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News\nFor Immediate Release\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 For Further Information,Contact: September 18, 2014\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Doug Kellogg (703) 683-5700\n\u00a0\nNation\u2019s Largest Taxpayer Group Honors Congressman Rokita with \u201cTaxpayers\u2019 Friend Award\u201d\n(WASHINGTON, D.C.) \u2013 Today, Congressman Todd Rokita was recognized for his outstanding pro-taxpayer voting record as National Taxpayers Union (NTU), a nonpartisan citizen advocacy group, announced that Rokita is among the distinguished recipients of the \u201cTaxpayers\u2019 Friend Award\u201d for 2013.\n\u201cWith so many remaining doubts that our economy has completely turned a corner, it's never been more important for Washington to change direction on fiscal policy,\u201d NTU President Pete Sepp said. \u201cFortunately, the taxpayers of the 4th district of Indiana could count on\u00a0Rokita to help put our nation on a saner path. Day in and day out, Rokita earned the title of 'Taxpayers ' Friend.'\nSince 1979, NTU has acknowledged Representatives and Senators who achieve top scores in their annual Rating of Congress with the \u201cTaxpayers\u2019 Friend Award.\u201d\nThe Rating, which is based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy, assigns a \u201cTaxpayer Score\u201d to each Member of Congress that indicates his or her support for reducing or controlling federal spending, taxes, debt, and regulation. For 2013, a total of 253 House and 90 Senate votes were selected.\n\u201cCongressman Rokita\u2019s pro-taxpayer score of 85 percent was one of the best in the entire Congress,\u201d Sepp continued. \u201cBy casting principled votes for limited government time and again, Congressman Rokita has led by example in the fight to defend overburdened taxpayers across the country.\u201d\nThe Senate had an all-time low of 28 percent in 1988, and the House hit bottom that same year, at 27 percent. The highest marks were reached in 1995, when lower and upper chambers\u2019 averages were 58 percent and 57 percent, respectively.\nNTU\u2019s annual Rating sets the standard for fiscal scorecards by not simplistically focus on only a handful of equally weighted \u201ckey votes.\u201d For this reason, it has received praise from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including the late Sen. (and \u201cGolden Fleece Award\u201d creator) William Proxmire (D-WI).\n\u00a0\u201cBy working to reduce federal spending, taxes, and debt, Congressman Rokita\u00a0proved to be one of the most effective advocates for taxpayers in his district as well as throughout the nation,\u201d Sepp said.\nNational Taxpayers Union, \u201cThe Voice of America\u2019s Taxpayers\u201d, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit citizen group founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes, smaller government, and economic freedom at all levels. Note: The 2013 Rating and a searchable Rating database from 1992 to 2013 is available at ntu.org. For questions about the Rating, its history, or methodology, please contact NTU Communications Manager Doug Kellogg at (703) 299-8698.\n\u00a0\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://rokita.house.gov/press-release/nation%E2%80%99s-largest-taxpayer-group-honors-congressman-rokita-%E2%80%9Ctaxpayers%E2%80%99-friend-award%E2%80%9D"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8225580677390099, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}