Center for Effective Lawmaking 2025 Annual Report

The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is celebrating another successful year with the release of our annual report. Founded in 2017 as a joint venture between the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Vanderbilt University, the Center’s trusted methodology and analyses have been cited in hundreds of news articles and widely used by lawmakers and their staffs, scholars, and many others around the country who care about effective lawmaking.

Highlights over the last year include:

• Updating our Legislative Effectiveness Scores for the 118^th Congress, sharing our congressional New Member Guide with every newly elected legislator, as well as regularly holding briefings and sessions with congressional staff;
• Awarded seven research grants for a total of $15,000 to scholars across the country, covering research on a variety of important topics such as state lawmaking, electoral connections and collaboration, and the economics of effective lawmaking;
• Hosting our First Annual Research Conference on Effective Lawmaking in American State Legislatures and our 7th Annual Research Conference;
• Releasing 15 research studies, with the 2025 Award for Best Publication on Effective Lawmaking presented to Fang-Yi Chiou (Academia Sinica) and Max Goplerud (University of Texas–Austin) for their article, “Effective Lawmaking Across Congressional Eras,” published in the Journal of Politics;
• Expanding our interview series, “Conversations with Effective Lawmakers”; and
• Hosting two post-doctoral scholars, two graduate affiliates, ten research assistants, and five interns during the year.

The CEL is grateful for all who contributed to these accomplishments. Through this support, we are able to continue our vital mission to enhance the effectiveness of individual lawmakers and U.S. legislative institutions. We look forward to continuing this work and expanding its impact.