echo $html = generateSelect('Category', array("Action Alert", "Petition"));

function generateSelect($name = '', $options = array()) {
        $html = '<select name="'.$name.'">';

        foreach ($options as $option => $value) {
                $html .= '<option value='.$option.'>'.$value.'</option>';
        }

        $html .= '</select>';
        return $html;
}