Pete Hoekstra

Contact: Dave Yonkman 202.225.4401

U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra Receives Foodservice Distribution Industry’s Thomas Jefferson Award, Recognizing Commitment to Free Enterprise

Thomas Jefferson

Washington, Jun 23 - The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) is pleased to recognize U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, with a 2010 Thomas Jefferson Award, honoring the legislator’s work to strengthen our nation’s free enterprise system and support economic prosperity.

During each Congress, IFDA presents the Thomas Jefferson Award to Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives who demonstrate their commitment to building our nation’s economy and reducing government regulation.

The award is based on Congressional voting records on issues critical to the growth and prosperity of the foodservice distribution industry and our nation’s overall economy.  Recipients of the award have shown their dedication to restoring our nation’s economic and fiscal health during the 111^th Congress.

“In this critical time, Representative Hoekstra has stood strong and taken the difficult votes to protect America’s businesses, stimulate economic growth and promote prosperity for the American people, said IFDA President and CEO Mark S. Allen. “The Thomas Jefferson Award is our way of recognizing and thanking those lawmakers who have worked to strengthen American business by standing true to the ideals of Thomas Jefferson. Foodservice distributors touch the life of every American consumer on a daily basis. In a time when many are advocating greater government intervention in our economy, we advocate supporting the free market system that is the backbone of our nation’s prosperity and this award publicly recognizes legislators who support those free market principles.”

Recipients of the award supported IFDA’s position at least 70 percent of the time on nine House votes deemed critical to the foodservice distribution industry and the Jeffersonian ideals of free enterprise. These included votes on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590), The American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454) and the FY 2010 Congressional Budget Resolution (S.Con.Res.13) among others. The complete list of votes can be found on the IFDA website at www.ifdathomasjeffersonawards.org.

Hoekstra scored 100 percent.

The program, introduced in 1992, was inspired by Thomas Jefferson, who in his first inaugural address said, “A wise and frugal government … shall leave men … free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.”

The award itself is a custom-sculptured replica of Jefferson as depicted in the Jefferson Memorial, framed by his four pillars of prosperity: agriculture, manufacturing, commerce and navigation.

About International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA)

When U.S. consumers sit down to eat in one of the nation’s nearly one million foodservice locations, the food on the plate—and possibly the plate and tableware—has been brought there by a foodservice distributor. IFDA is the leading trade association representing foodservice distributors throughout the United States and internationally. IFDA’s members include broadline, systems, and specialty foodservice distributors that supply food and related products to restaurants and other food away from home foodservice operations. IFDA members operate more than 700 distribution facilities representing more than $110 billion in annual sales.