"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."
With these words during his first inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson articulated the principles of free enterprise upon which American democracy was founded.
Recognize Elected Representatives Who Support Our Industry
The IFDA Thomas Jefferson Awards were presented in conjunction with the IFDA Day in Washington Program. Since 1992, these awards have been presented at the end of each Congress to honor Members of Congress who have demonstrated their commitment to free enterprise by their voting records on issues such as taxes, free trade, labor policy, and other economic matters. The program also recognizes Senators and Members of Congress for their consistent support of specific industry priorities on issues ranging from the Employee Free Choice Act to permanent Death Tax Repeal. Award recipients have a 70 percent or better voting record on these key issues facing our industry. Click on the links below to see the list of key votes and how Members of Congress voted on them.
111th Senate Key Votes
111th House Key Votes
Criteria for Selection
The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) selects votes critical to the industry, its customers, and to the nation’s general economic prosperity. While these bills were being considered during the 111th Congress, the industry’s position was clearly conveyed to elected representatives. Recipients of the 2010 Thomas Jefferson Award must support our position on at least 70 percent of those crucial votes.
The Distinguished Service Award
One U.S. Senator and one U.S. Representative receive the Thomas Jefferson Award for Distinguished Service, honoring their vigorous support for the principles of free enterprise. Past recipients of the Award for Distinguished Service include Reps. Roy Blunt, Anne Northup, Henry Bonilla, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, and Eric Cantor.
Description of the Awards
The Thomas Jefferson Award, custom-crafted out of pewter and walnut, features a replica of the standing sculpture of Thomas Jefferson as he appears in the Jefferson Memorial, framed by the 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.
