Press Releases

WASHINGTON DC – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Freshman Republican Whip, joined Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and other House Republican Freshman on the "American Energy Tour." Congressman Bilirakis traveled to the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colorado. In addition, Congressman Bilirakis took an aerial tour of ANWR to examine exploration techniques, opportunities, and challenges in the oil industry and spoke with industry and government leaders.

WASHINGTON DC – A resolution condemning certain Middle East media outlets, authored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), was today agreed to by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and will be referred to the full house for a vote.

After testifying today, Congressman Bilirakis said, "Today's hearing is a giant step forward in seeing this legislation to fruition. The unanimous statements of support from both Democrat and Republican members of the subcommittee showcase the bipartisan nature of this issue. I am hopeful we can move this through the full committee soon and get it to the floor of the House. Never again should a family have to search for a missing relative or friend without help. We owe this to our seniors."

"Commitment and dedication to taxpayer's interests, has been imperative in the fight against excessive taxation in the 1st session of the 110th Congress," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and prominent D.C.-based activist. "These Congressional Ratings allow taxpayers to see, when it comes to their hard-earned money, exactly who the heroes and the ‘villains' are in Congress. It is clear that Gus Bilirakis has proven to be a hero."

"Commitment and dedication to taxpayer's interests, has been imperative in the fight against excessive taxation in the 1st session of the 110th Congress," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and prominent D.C.-based activist. "These Congressional Ratings allow taxpayers to see, when it comes to their hard-earned money, exactly who the heroes and the ‘villains' are in Congress. It is clear that Gus Bilirakis has proven to be a hero."

Congressman Bilirakis's proposal (H.R. 2490), would create a pilot program enabling the U.S. Coast Guard, the lead federal agency for maritime homeland security, to collect biometric information on waterborne aliens and screen them against existing federal databases of those wanted for immigration violations and other transgressions of U.S. laws. The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to evaluate the results to determine the feasibility and appropriateness of expanding such capability throughout the DHS maritime border system.

The votes taken ranged from preventing tax increases, to price controls on Medicare prescription medicines, to denying workers their right to a private ballot when deciding on unionization. In total, there were ten votes on which the award was given.

The free-market, worker rights organization presents the award to members of the U.S.Congress who vote in favor of worker's rights, and free and open labor markets on a majority of the national policy issues tracked by AWF.