WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, the Lugar Center and Georgetown University’s McCourt School unveiled the Final Bipartisan Index Rankings for the 116th Congress (2019-2020). Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick was once again ranked the #1 most bipartisan Member of Congress and set a new Bipartisan Index record for the highest full-Congress score ever recorded in U.S. History
“Hyper-partisanship is the single biggest threat facing our Nation. Bipartisanship is the only remedy that will save and heal our nation,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Which of these paths one chooses determines whether they desire to be part of the problem or part of the solution. If one chooses partisanship and condemns those who think differently, they are part of the problem. If one chooses bipartisanship and seeks to build bridges with those who think differently, they are part of the solution. I have chosen, and will continue to choose, the path of bipartisanship and problem solving because I love the United States of America, the greatest country on Earth.”
Out of all 437 House members scored, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick finished first. He set a new Bipartisan Index record of 6.839 for the highest full-Congress score ever recorded in U.S. History.
“Although partisan combat between the parties and their leaderships reached a crescendo during the 116th Congress, individual members of Congress worked on legislation with their opposing party counterparts with surprising frequency,” said Lugar Center Policy Director, Dan Diller. “The Bipartisan Index scores show that despite the embittered partisan climate, members still sought out bipartisan partnerships in the run-up to the 2020 election — usually below the radar of the national news cycle.”
“Our democracy has been tested in untold ways over the last year, with Congress often seeming unable to act on behalf of the common good,” said Maria Cancian, Dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy. “But according to the Bipartisan Index, an evidence-based tool, our lawmakers are collaborating in many areas– an encouraging sign despite our hyper-partisan politics.”
The Lugar Center and Georgetown University Bipartisan Index measures how often a member of Congress introduces bills that succeed in attracting co-sponsors from members of the other party, and how often they, in turn, co-sponsor a bill introduced from across the aisle. The Index is based on a formula applied uniformly to all members. No subjective judgments are made about individual members or bills. The Index is intended to serve as a critical resource for voters and the media, and to encourage lawmakers to be more bipartisan when writing or co-sponsoring legislation.
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