Blog – Page 5 – Center for Effective Lawmaking

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

About the CEL / Center Affiliates

Meet our Senior Program Associate: George Hadijski

Meet our Senior Program Associate: George Hadijski The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is pleased to officially introduce George Hadijski as our new Senior Program Associate. In this role, he will be responsible for increasing the use of the CEL’s research by lawmakers, their staffs, and their influencers.Prior to the CEL, George worked at the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), where he was responsible for the oversight and management of CMF's training and management consulting services provided to US House and Senate offices, the joint legislative operations training program conducted in…

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November 1, 2023

Center Affiliates / Legislative Anaylsis / Legislative Research

I’m Coming Out! How Voter Discrimination Produces Effective LGBTQ Lawmakers

I’m Coming Out! How Voter Discrimination Produces Effective LGBTQ Lawmakers In this Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) working paper, the University of Virginia's Jacob Lollis and Mackenzie Dobson (CEL Graduate Affiliate) look into the effectiveness of LGBTQ lawmakers. The authors expand on earlier research that connects voter discrimination to effective lawmaking and argue that the prejudice that LGBTQ legislators face from voters enables them to be effective lawmakers. To test this, Lollis and Dobson take data on state legislators’ sexual identity and compare it to data on state legislative effectiveness…

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October 31, 2023

About the CEL

Center for Effective Lawmaking 2022-2023 Annual Report

Center for Effective Lawmaking 2022-2023 Annual Report We are proud to present the Center for Effective Lawmaking Annual Report for 2022-2023. Here you will see highlights from the last academic year showcasing the accomplishments of the Center in promoting the generation, communication, and use of new knowledge about the effectiveness of individual lawmakers and U.S. legislative institutions, as well as our plans and goals for the future. These include but are not limited to:The release of our Legislative Effectiveness Scores for the 117th CongressAnnouncing the recipients of our 2022-2023 small…

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October 30, 2023

About the CEL / Center Affiliates / Faculty Affiliates

Meet our Faculty Affiliate: Andrew Pennock

Meet our Faculty Affiliate: Andrew Pennock The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is excited to introduce one of our newest faculty affiliates, Andrew Pennock. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia (UVA). While at UVA, Professor Pennock has leveraged his relationship with Virginia state legislators to establish Batten as an influential force for policy development in the state. He serves in a number of capacities at UVA including as an elected member…

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October 27, 2023

Conversations with Lawmakers / Events

WATCH: Effective Lawmaking: A Cornerstone of Democracy

WATCH: Effective Lawmaking: A Cornerstone of Democracy On Friday, October 20, 2023, the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) held a presentation titled “Effective Lawmaking: A Cornerstone of Democracy” as part of our “Conversations with Effective Lawmakers” Series and the Karsh Institute’s “Democracy360” event, a three-day series that brought together thought leaders, journalists, policymakers, scholars, activists, artists, and students in Charlottesville, VA, to explore collectively how to shape a thriving democratic future. CEL co-directors, Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman, moderated a discussion panel featuring former U.S. House Representative Peter Roskam (R-IL)…

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October 25, 2023

Board of Advisors

Tom Wickham: Understanding the U.S. House Speaker Situation

Tom Wickham: Understanding the U.S. House Speaker Situation 10/18/2023 UPDATE: This post, originally published on Friday, October 13, has been updated to reflect new developments, including yesterday’s speaker vote in the House. There is uncertainty concerning the status of the speakership of the United States House of Representatives. As such, the Center for Effective Lawmaking is taking the opportunity to present insights from Tom Wickham, Senior Vice President of state and local policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; he is also a Member of our Advisory Board. Previously, he was the…

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October 13, 2023