(MONEY Magazine) – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Businessmen and the National Taxpayers Union all have given Senator Jesse Helms excellent ratings. But MONEY doesn't agree? How do you explain this? It seems to me your rating may show the liberal bias of your owners, the Time Inc. Magazine Co. Beth Burrus Press Secretary, Helms for Senate Campaign Raleigh, N.C.

After carefully reviewing the article, we feel it presents an unfair and inaccurate view of the voting record of members of Congress. You failed to take into account two important considerations. First, the survey considered only the final vote on a given legislative package. It thus ignored important votes on innovative alternatives that were offered as amendments. Second, the MONEY survey also failed to account for the fact that many important initiatives are simply not allowed to come to a vote because they are blocked by the Democratic leadership. Rep. Chuck Douglas, N.H. Rep. Bob Walker, Pa. Rep. Mel Hancock, Mo. Rep. John Kyl, Ariz. Rep. Jim Bunning, Ky. Rep. Craig Thomas, Wyo. Rep. Cass Ballenger, N.C. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Calif. Rep. Tom DeLay, Texas Rep. Arthur Ravenel Jr., S.C.

< MONEY associate editor Walter L. Updegrave replies: In our attempt to be completely impartial, we felt it was best to stick to officially recorded votes. You are wrong, moreover, when you say we considered only the final vote on a legislative package. We included several amendments and motions regarding bills blocked in committee. We know of no way for MONEY or anyone else to judge how you or the other members of Congress might have voted on bills or amendments that might have come to the floor for a vote.

Thank you for the thorough grading of our Washington politicians. Well done! It's too bad we the taxpayers did not get to vote on their pay raise. It doesn't look like they deserved it. Donna Zajd Tampa