By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Project Vote Smart says it has released the most comprehensive report card on every member of New York's congressional delegation.
Project Vote Smart has complied the results for public view. It includes ratings on members of the Western New York's delegation in Washington.
Senior Ddvisor at Project Vote Smart Adelaide Elm says US Senators and House members have been graded by more than 100 groups with competing interests on some very controversial issues.
"The groups range from the Christian Coalition to Vote Hemp," Elm said. "These groups rate on such issues as abortion, guns, taxes, education and the environment. They grade members of Congress every year on how often lawmakers vote with that group's best interest."
Elm says Western New York leaders, like Republican Congressman Thomas Reynolds and Democratic Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, received rating that ranged from as low as zero to as high as 100.
"An organization called the National Federation of Independent Businesses has given Congressman Reynolds a 100 percent rating where the AFL-CIO has given him a seven percent rating," Reynolds said. "Likewise, Congresswoman Slaughter received a zero percent rating from the National Federation of Independent Businesses whereas the AFL-CIO gave her a 100 percent rating."
Elm says the report card ratings gives the public a sense of how their lawmaker is voting and representing the region on various issues. But she says the public should make sure it looks at all the ratings for a bi-partisan grade.
Project Vote Smart says by mid-July there will be more candidate information on its Web site on candidates as the country gears up for primary races.