U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry recently received the “Hero of the Taxpayer” award by the nation’s leading taxpayer advocacy group, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR).

“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 ATR.  “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 Patrick McHenry has proven to be a hero.”

ATR double-rates the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” in all its Congressional scorecards.  The Pledge is a written promise offered to every incumbent and candidate opposing “any and all tax increases.”  McHenry signed the Pledge when he first ran for Congress in 2004.

“I have never voted for a tax increase on Western North Carolina families and never will," he said.  "With a federal budget that is expected to grow to $3.1 trillion next year, there is no reason why the federal government can’t meet its obligations, and then some, without raising taxes."