Collins Once Again Ranked the Most Bipartisan U.S. Senator
Washington, D.C. — A study released today by the Lugar Center and Georgetown University ranks U.S. Senator Susan Collins as the most bipartisan Senator for the fifth consecutive year. Senator Collins received the highest bipartisan score in the 25-year history of the index.
“I have always believed that Congress produces the best legislation when it listens to diverse viewpoints and receives input from both Republicans and Democrats. Given the growing chasm between the political parties, I feel a special obligation to bring both sides together and find a path forward to address some of our nation’s most pressing problems,” said Senator Collins. “Hyperpartisanship has prevented action on too many crucial issues for far too long. I appreciate the efforts of the Lugar Center to restore bipartisanship and civility in Congress, and I am delighted that my work to foster these principles is reflected in this Bipartisan Index.”
“Senator Collins has demonstrated her deep commitment to bipartisanship by earning the highest score ever recorded by a Senator on the Bipartisan Index,” said Senator Lugar. “She continues to set the national standard for bipartisan productivity, which has made her one of the most effective legislators in Congress.”
Although most grading systems of Members of Congress are based on partisan, parochial, or special-interest standards, the Bipartisan Index uses an objective formula to give each Member an overall score based on two major criteria:
- The frequency with which a member sponsors bills co-sponsored by at least one member of the opposing party
- The frequency with which a member co-sponsors bills introduced by members of the opposite party
Senator Collins has long been recognized for her efforts to reach across the aisle and find consensus. In 2016, she received the inaugural Jacob Javits Prize for Bipartisan Leadership for her exemplary efforts to facilitate bipartisanship throughout her Senate service.
Overview of Bipartisan Index Methodology:
The Lugar Center and Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy’s Bipartisan Index is a non-partisan ranking of how often each Member of Congress works across party lines based on sponsorships and co-sponsorships of legislation.
Sponsorships and co-sponsorships are positions Senators carefully consider and often reflect their long-term priorities. The Index chose to measure this activity in order to focus the index on bipartisanship and cooperation, rather than where members sit on the ideological spectrum.
For a full description of the methodology behind the Bipartisan Index, please visit the Lugar Center’s website.
