For Immediate Release

Contact: Don Adams, 215.620.3055

Tea Party Association Chooses Senator Pat Toomey As Its 

2011 Federal Legislator of the Year and Rep. Curt Schroder As Its

2011State Legislator of the Year

Philadelphia, PA (December 22, 2011) -- The Independence Hall Tea Party Association, the largest Tea Party in the tri-state region, has announced, today, that it has selected US Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) as its 2011 Federal Legislator of the Year and State Representative Curt Schroder as its 2011 State Legislator of the year.

"The Association chose Senator Toomey as its Federal Legislator of the Year due to his heroic efforts towards balancing the budget, lowering tax rates, and growing the economy to create private sector jobs," said Association President, Teri Adams.

"We were amazed by his stellar performance as a freshman senator --whether he was rallying his fellow Republicans behind one Balanced Budget Amendment to the US Constitution, drafting his own version of a balanced budget, or serving so admirably on the Super Committee --encouraging the lowering of marginal tax rates and promoting reforms to spur deregulation and economic growth.

"Pennsylvania and the other 49 states are fortunate to have Pat Toomey working for us in the US Senate," Ms.  Adams said.

"We selected Senator Toomey after carefully considering members of

our entire regional Republican Congressional delegation, including Jon Runyan (R-NJ), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Pat Meehan (R-PA) -- and other prominent national Congressional leaders such as Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) -- anyone of whom would have been worthy to receive this award. 

"The Association chose Representative Curt Schroder as its State Legislator of the Year due to his remarkable career in the Pennsylvania House which will end at the end of his current term (2012)," said Ms. Adams.

"Whether in the majority or the minority, Rep. Schroder represented our

principles without fail.  He stood for lower taxes, less government

regulation, and fiscal responsibility.

"More recently, he fully backed our efforts to opt out of ObamaCare and to 

establish real school choice.  At the request of UNITE PA and the Association, Rep. Schroder introduced both a comprehensive and an

incremental school choice bill in the current session of the Assembly.

"For his efforts, we are extremely grateful," she said.

"We chose Rep. Schroder over other very deserving state legislators from Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.  Among those we considered were: State Senator Dave Lawson (R-DE); State Senators Mike Doherty (R-NJ), Chris Connors (R-NJ); Assemblywomen Alison McHose (R-NJ), Dianne Gove (R-NJ), Assemblyman Brian Rumpf (R-NJ); State Representatives Robert Metcalfe (R-PA) and Steven Barrar (R-PA)."

The Awards will be presented at the Associations' 3rd Annual Christmas Tea Party--an outdoor re-enactment of the Original Philadelphia Tea Party of 1773 to be held Tuesday, December 27, 2011 on Independence Mall, 5th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, beginning at 1 PM.  The event is free and open to the public.

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