Today, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., was recognized as the recipient of the 2010 “Taxpayers’ Friend Award” by the National Taxpayers Union.

The National Taxpayers Union gives the award through their “NTU Rates Congress” program.The program is designed to calculate a member’s voting record of fiscal responsibility by weighing every vote that has a significant impact on tax, fiscal, trade and regulatory policy. Sen. Chambliss scored 97 percent on the group’s rating scale.

“I am humbled to receive this award,”Chambliss said.“I have always worked to protect taxpayers’ interests and will continue to do so.”

“2010 saw some of the most polarizing fiscal issues in the history of Congress, and NTU’s Rating depicted the trend in stark detail,” said NTU President Duane Parde. “Although an increasing number of lawmakers voted with taxpayers’ interests, more than three times as many sided with special interests instead. With this lopsided tug-of-war among Members of Congress, it is no wonder the nation’s finances were dragged into a quagmire last year.”

The National Taxpayers Union was founded in 1969 to promote responsible government spending and to help create limits on government taxes. 8,300 of their members reside in the state of Georgia.