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Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) provided the following statement after the announcement of earning the “Taxpayers’ Friend Award” from the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) for his votes supporting limited government, economic freedom, and low taxes in 2019:

“In order to rein in spending in Washington, we must prioritize protecting taxpayer dollars. As the Representative for Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District, my job every day is to work to ensure we are responsibly governing. I am proud of my strong record supporting legislation that limits the power of the federal government, empowers Americans to make economic decisions that benefit their families and businesses, and ensures people can keep more of their hard-earned money.”

This year, Latta received an “A” rating from the NTU. In comparison, the House average was just 40 percent while the Senate’s average was just 30 percent. Latta is one of 48 members of the U.S. House of Representatives to receive this recognition.

“From record spending to record debt, 2019 was a tough year for our nation’s taxpayers,” said Pete Sepp, President of NTU. “Despite these metrics, taxpayers can take comfort that a principled elected official like Congressman Bob Latta was working day in and day out to protect taxpayers’ interests in Washington. We all know actions speak louder than words, and this award is a testament to the often-unsung efforts of lawmakers who care so much about correcting our government’s precarious fiscal future. We need real reform to our government’s budget and spending habits, and with Congressman Latta's leadership, we can get there. While those efforts aren't easy, we should all be so fortunate to have Congressman Latta as a true champion for the people who pay government's bills."

Since 1979, NTU has annually recognized Representatives and Senators who earn high voting scores to qualify them for the “Taxpayers’ Friend Award.” 142 House votes are included in the 2019 scorecard. NTU’s rating program is designed to calculate a Member’s voting record on fiscal responsibility by evaluating every vote that has an impact on tax, spending, trade, and regulatory policy utilizing a methodical weighting system. No other fiscal policy scorecard is as comprehensive as NTU’s.

See NTU’s full 2019 congressional scorecard here.