Graphs and charts analyzing low legislative productivity in Congress as well as trends in partisanship and ideological gaps among Congressional leaders

1. Source: “Resumé of Congressional Activity,” U.S. Senate, 2013. 1
112th Congress the Least Productive since WWII
Expert analysis available only to National Journal Members
280 Public Laws
104th
Congress passed second
fewest laws due to
government shutdown in ’95
resulting from gridlock
1028 Public Laws
84th
Congress passed more
laws than any other post-
WWII due to unified Dem
control of both chambers
238 Public Laws
112th
Congress passed
only 90 bills in 2011 due
to polarizing post-
Republican takeover

2. Failure to Pass Legislation Like
Budget Resolution Now Common
Source: CRS Report, “Congressional Budget Resolutions: Historical Information,” Bill Henliff Jr. and Justin Murray, March 13, 2012; Senate Budget Committee.
Fiscal
Year
Senate Adopted
Conference Report
House Adopted
Conference Report
Resolution
Passed
Met April 15th
Deadline?
# of Days After
Deadline
2004 4/11/03 4/11/03 4/11/03  -4
2005 X 5/19/04 X X NA
2006 4/28/05 4/28/05 4/28/05 X 13
2007 X X X X NA
2008 5/17/07 5/17/07 5/17/07 X 19
2009 6/4/08 6/5/08 6/5/08 X 38
2010 4/29/09 4/29/09 4/29/09 X 14
2011 X X X X NA
2012 X X X X NA
2013 X X X X NA
Budget Resolution Outcomes in Congress, FY 2004-2013
Budget resolution passed on time Budget resolution passed after deadline Budget resolution not passed
2
Expert analysis available only to National Journal Members

3. Partisanship at the Root of Gridlock in Senate
Source: Congressional Budget Office, Historical Tables; Congressional Budget Office, “The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2013 to 2023,” February 5, 2013. 3
Ideological Conformity Gives Parties in Power Less Incentive to Compromise
*National Journal’s Vote Ratings scores members of Congress on selected roll-call votes from the previous year. Members are compared to each other on
an ideological scale, from liberal to conservative
National Journal Vote Ratings in the Senate
1994 – 2012
Most liberal Republican senator Most conservative Democratic senator
Expert analysis available only to National Journal Members

4. Wide Ideological Gaps Among Senate Leadership
Nearly Standard
Source: National Journal Research 2013.
113th
Ranking Member Vote
Rating
113th
Chairman Vote Rating
Conservative Vote Ratings of Committee Chairs and Ranking Members
Less conservative More conservative
Larger
ideological
gap
Smaller
ideological
gap
4