Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) is one of the leading centrist members of Congress according to an in-depth report released by National Journal, a leading source of non-partisan reporting on nationwide politics and policy. The report analyzed how all 535 members of the House and Senate voted on key economic, social and foreign-policy issues during 2009.

Based on 92 key votes in the House, National Journal ranked Congressman Cuellar the most centrist member of the Texas congressional delegation.

“My philosophy is simple: put politics aside, and put common sense and the business of the people first,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I vote the values of my district.  They expect me to represent what is best for every family—not just the Democratic families or Republican families.  I’m an independent voice and my voting record reflects that.” 

National Journal ranked Congressman Cuellar as one of “The Centrists”, a group of members at the ideological center of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. As number 216 of 435 members in the House, National Journal placed Congressman Cuellar at center of the House.

The annual report, released by the non-partisan weekly periodical National Journal, evaluates voting records based on a ratings system used since 1981. A panel of National Journal editors and reporters compiled a list of 92 key congressional votes of 2009 and categorized each bill in one of three ways: economic, social and foreign policy.

Members were then ranked from one to 435, depending on how they voted among liberals and conservatives on each category of votes. According to National Journal, Congressman Cuellar votes at the ideological center of the House.

“I vote from the center, because I have an independent approach,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I’m focused on what is good for the taxpayers in the 28th District and if we had more people governing from the center, we could get a lot more done for the country.”  

As a fiscal-conservative, Congressman Cuellar is a member of the 54 member Blue Dog Coalition and the only member of the group from Texas. The coalition introduced in January, a 15 step plan for fiscal reform in Washington. In 2010, Congressman Cuellar helped pass Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) spending rules for Congress, as a way to rein in the nation’s deficits by balancing the nation’s budget. He also founded the bipartisan Pro Trade Caucus in Congress as a way to promote bipartisan initiatives to level the nation’s trade deficits and create more jobs.

For more information on the National Journal report, please visit http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/nj_20100227_5816.php


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Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the U.S. House Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Government Oversight & Reform Committees in the 111th Congress. Accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip and member of the Blue Dog Coalition.