A public policy organization praised North Carolina’s Sen. Richard Burr and Rep. Sue Myrick, both Republicans, for being two of the most fiscally conservative legislators on issues such as tax cuts, pork barrel spending, and free trade, the group reports in its 2007 congressional report card.

The Club for Growth’s annual report, released May 8, awarded six senators and 49 representatives for siding with the club nine out of 10 times on a range of roll call votes during the first session of the 110th Congress.

The group tracked how lawmakers voted on fuel price controls, repeal of the death tax, increasing the minimum wage, a mandatory union card check, and extension of the Bush tax cuts, among other issues.

“These top-scoring members of Congress are staunch defenders of American taxpayers. Their votes are critical to lowering taxes, cutting wasteful spending, and promoting economic growth for all Americans,” said Pat Toomey, Club for Growth president.

“We hope that support for pro-growth principles will continue to grow, allowing more members to earn this award and more Americans to benefit,” he said.

N.C. Reps. Virginia Foxx, R-5th, and Patrick McHenry, R-10th, came one percent shy of entering the top tier. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and Rep. Howard Coble, R-6th, scored 82 and 81 percent, respectively.

Among the N.C. delegation, Reps. Heath Shuler, D-11th, and G. K. Butterfield,D-1st, came in last place, garnering less than 6 percent on the scorecard. Only 60 House lawmakers ranked below Shuler.

Rep. Mel Watt, D-12th, was the highest-scoring N.C. Democrat at 12 percent, while Reps. Robin Hayes, R-8th, and Walter Jones, R-3rd, tied for last place among Republicans at 43 percent each.

Several N.C. lawmakers improved their scores over past sessions, including Coble, Foxx, McHenry, Miller, Myrick, Price, and Watt. Butterfield, Etheridge, Hayes, and McIntyre scored worse. In the Senate, Burr improved his score by one-third. Dole’s score improved marginally.

Nationally, Reps. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; Doug Lamborn, R-Colo.; and Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, scored 100 percent. Sen. James DeMint, R-S.C., was the only member to achieve a perfect score in the Senate.

Sixteen House and six Senate members, including Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Illinois, took up the rear of the pack with scores of zero percent.

David N. Bass is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.