PPA Releases 2010 Congressional Ratings Guide

A total of 91 member of Congress received “A” grades for their stance on poker-related issues, according to the 2010 Congressional Ratings Guide released by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) this week. Conversely, 194 members received either “D” or “F” grades.

While the numbers may look bad, the number of lawmakers who received poor grades was down significantly over the past two years. In 2008, a similar report from the PPA rated 258 members at a “D” grade or lower.

Four lawmakers in particular were singled out with A+ grades, thanks to their strong support for poker players’ rights. These four were Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV), and Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN).

Former Senator and current PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato said that the improving grades for Congress reflect the fact that significant progress has been made over the past two years in educating members about poker issues.

“The grades in our 2010 Congressional Ratings Guide indicate that progress, but also underscore that more needs to be done,” D’Amato said. “As we approach the mid-term elections, this guide is a valuable resource for PPA members – and all poker players in the country – as they choose to support candidates who support their right and freedom to play poker.”

With Barney Frank’s H.R. 2267 and other poker-related bills working their way through Congress, there was much more information available with which to evaluate Congressional members. According to the PPA, the ratings were based on the following criterion:

• Co-sponsorship of pro-poker legislation
• Votes on pro-poker legislation
• Letters and public statements on poker-related topics

The 2010 Ratings Guide comes at a critical time, as midterm elections are just under two months away in the United States of America. Positions that are up for election include each of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives, as well as 37 out of 100 Senate seats, as well as many state and local races. Most experts believe that the Republican Party will make gains in this election season, though whether or not they will be able to capture a majority of the seats in either or both houses of Congress remains to be seen.