Blog – Page 4 – Center for Effective Lawmaking

CEL Research Affiliate Wins MPSA Award

CEL Research Affiliate Wins MPSA Award Arjun Vishwanath, a Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) research affiliate and a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, has been given the award for Best Paper in American Politics by the Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) for research presented at their 2023 Annual Conference. His article, "The Impact of Values on Issue Stances: Evidence from Panel Studies," tests the role of political values as a driver of issue attitudes relative to two commonly posited sources of such attitudes…

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March 18, 2024

CEL presentation to the LEGIS Congressional Fellows

CEL presentation to the LEGIS Congressional Fellows On February 23, 2024, the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) gave our annual presentation to the LEGIS Congressional Fellowship program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. The LEGIS program is composed of a bipartisan group of professionals from government agencies selected by offices in both chambers of Congress to learn about the lawmaking process and serve as subject-matter policy experts for legislators. As in previous years, co-directors Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman (of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy…

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February 28, 2024

Conversations with Lawmakers

Discussing Legislative Effectiveness with Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Discussing Legislative Effectiveness with Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen served as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 18th and 27th congressional districts from 1989 to 2019. She has been identified by the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) with the distinction of being among the top ten most effective Republican lawmakers in the US. House of Representatives in the 110th, 111th, and 112th Congresses (2007 to 2013). She was also identified as the most effective lawmaker in advancing international affairs policy among both Republicans and Democrats in the 112th Congress (2011…

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February 20, 2024

Center Affiliates / Faculty Affiliates / Legislative Anaylsis / Legislative Research

The Conditional Lawmaking Benefits of Party Faction Membership in Congress

The Conditional Lawmaking Benefits of Party Faction Membership in Congress In this new Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) paper published in Political Research Quarterly, CEL co-directors Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University respectively, alongside Lafayette College’s Andrew Clark (also a CEL Faculty Affiliate), examine how joining a party faction can impact a lawmaker’s effectiveness. Party faction membership has been shown to increase lawmakers' electoral success, but this paper investigates if the benefits persist once those lawmakers enter Congress. The authors’ research tests three…

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February 14, 2024

Conversations with Lawmakers / Events / Video

CEL Event: Effective Lawmaking in Virginia

Former Virginia House Minority Leader David Toscano and former Speaker Bill Howell (from left to right). (Photo by Ryan Strand, Batten School). CEL Event: Effective Lawmaking in Virginia On Monday, February 5, 2024, the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), within the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, held a presentation titled “Effective Lawmaking in Virginia: Past, Present, and Future” as part of the school’s Batten Hour series. The panel discussion featured Bill Howell, former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, and David…

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February 12, 2024

Video

The CEL on “Understanding Congress”

The CEL on "Understanding Congress" Craig Volden, professor of public policy and politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), was a recent guest on the podcast "Understanding Congress," hosted by Kevin Kosar, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). They discussed the topic of “What is legislative effectiveness?”, covering what the term means, how it is measured, and why it is an important area of research. We are pleased to have…

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February 8, 2024

Center Affiliates / Legislative Anaylsis / Legislative Research

Polarization and Lawmaking Effectiveness in the United States Congress

Polarization and Lawmaking Effectiveness in the United States Congress Political scientists have emphasized the rightward ideological movement of congressional Republicans across recent decades, relative to a more limited leftward shift by Democrats. However, new research from Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) co-directors Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman (of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University, respectively), and CEL Graduate Affiliate Patrick Buhr (also of Vanderbilt) argue that this asymmetric polarization has not translated into an equally conservative shift in lawmaking. Drawing on data on the lawmaking effectiveness of Representatives and…

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February 7, 2024

About the CEL

2023: A Year in Review

2023: A Year in Review As 2023 draws to a close, we at the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) wanted to take the time to reflect on our accomplishments this year. This included but was not limited to the following:The release of our Legislative Effectiveness Scores for the 117th Congress.Announcing the recipients of our 2023-2024 small grant awards.Hiring our new Senior Program Associate, George Hadijski.Introducing new members of our Center Affiliate teams, including Christian Fong, Ju Yeon (Julia) Park, Andrew Pennock, Fred Gui, and Arjun Vishwanath.Hosting our 5th Annual Research…

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December 20, 2023

Events

Future Forum Caucus Briefing

CEL co-directors Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman with Representative Colin Allred (from left to right). Future Forum Caucus Briefing The co-directors of the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman, paid a visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, November 14, to engage members of the Future Forum Caucus. The caucus is a group of young Members of Congress who are focused on issues important to younger Americans. Their three core principles are: “Bridging the divide between young Americans and their government, engaging with and empowering young voters,…

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November 29, 2023

Legislative Research

2023-2024 Small Grant Awards Announced

2023-2024 Small Grant Awards Announced The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is proud to present its 6th annual small grant awards and recipients. The awards are given to distinguished individuals who are researching topics which connect to the mission of the CEL to advance the generation, communication, and use of new knowledge about the effectiveness of individual lawmakers and legislative institutions. This group will join previous grant recipients who have made insightful contributions to the field and broadened the discussions around the topics within it. We are honored to support…

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November 15, 2023