Faculty & Research Research Featured Research - Craig Volden Featured Research Do constituents know (or care) about the lawmaking effectiveness of their representatives? Substantial evidence exists that members of the US Congress vary in their lawmaking effectiveness. Less known, however, is whether constituents are sufficiently informed and inclined to hold their representatives accountable, based on their effectiveness. Read More Primary Path for Turning Legislative Effectiveness into Success Effective lawmakers are the workhorses of the US Congress, yet we know little about the electoral payoffs of their efforts. Are effective lawmakers better at warding off challengers in the next election? Do they win at a greater rate? Read More Learn more about Legislative Effectiveness and Find Your Representative’s Score The Center for Effective Lawmaking seeks to advance the generation, communication, and use of new knowledge about the effectiveness of individual lawmakers and U.S. legislative institutions. We envision a Congress comprised of effective lawmakers, strong institutional capacity, and the incentive structure needed to address America’s greatest public policy challenges. Visit Craig Volden Craig Volden is a professor of public policy and politics at the University of Virginia, with appointments in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Department of Politics. He studies the politics of public policy, with a focus on what policy choices arise within legislative institutions and within American federalism. He is founder and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking. READ FULL BIO Related Content Highlights from the New 117th Congress Legislative Effectiveness Scores News Reps. Gerald Connolly, D-VA, and Don Bacon, R-NE, and Sens. Gary Peters, D-MI, and John Cornyn, R-TX, top their respective lists of the most effective Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the recently completed 117th Congress (2021–23), according to the latest round of legislative effectiveness scores compiled by the Center for Effective Lawmaking released March 20. George Santos' college education is a myth. Is he the only one lying? We checked. News How often are the educational backgrounds of Congressional legislators and candidates vetted, and how much do degrees matter? Craig Volden, Batten School professor and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, talked with USA Today about Congress members’ educational backgrounds and how a degree correlates to effectiveness as a legislator. Investigations, Distrust, and Stigma: Why George Santos May Not Get Much Done in Congress News Facing investigations after lying about whether he graduated college, worked on Wall Street, founded a charity, owned rental property, and descended from Holocaust survivors, Republican Rep. George Santos of New York may find it more difficult than the typical freshman lawmaker to deliver results. Success in the States: How Outstanding State Lawmakers Lead and Govern Event Craig Volden, Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking and professor at the Batten School, will join state lawmakers identified by independent observers as exceptional political leaders and leaders of nonprofits dedicated to supporting better political leadership in the U.S. to reflect on the issues at stake for our democracy. Batten Showcase 2022: Building a Better Congress ft. Craig Volden News In this lecture, professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Craig Volden, shares data-driven insights on how to Build a Better Congress. The Center for Effective Lawmaking Meets with Delegation from the Ukrainian Parliament News Batten School Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Craig Volden, met with a delegation from the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, in early September to discuss lawmaking effectiveness. Research: Congressional town halls signal and support effective lawmaking News In an article for The Hill, Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Alan E. Wiseman write that Representatives and Senators who engage constituents through town halls can enhance their lawmaking effectiveness in Congress. Volden Wins Honor for Paper That Highlights How Women Policymakers Thrive News Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Rachel Augustine Potter were recognized for their research exploring the effectiveness of female agency leaders. They discuss the "glass walls" effect and the potential implications of their findings. The Primary Path for Turning Legislative Effectiveness into Electoral Success Research Effective lawmakers are the workhorses of the US Congress, yet we know little about the electoral payoffs of their efforts. Are effective lawmakers better at warding off challengers in the next election? Do they win at a greater rate? View All
Highlights from the New 117th Congress Legislative Effectiveness Scores News Reps. Gerald Connolly, D-VA, and Don Bacon, R-NE, and Sens. Gary Peters, D-MI, and John Cornyn, R-TX, top their respective lists of the most effective Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the recently completed 117th Congress (2021–23), according to the latest round of legislative effectiveness scores compiled by the Center for Effective Lawmaking released March 20.
George Santos' college education is a myth. Is he the only one lying? We checked. News How often are the educational backgrounds of Congressional legislators and candidates vetted, and how much do degrees matter? Craig Volden, Batten School professor and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, talked with USA Today about Congress members’ educational backgrounds and how a degree correlates to effectiveness as a legislator.
Investigations, Distrust, and Stigma: Why George Santos May Not Get Much Done in Congress News Facing investigations after lying about whether he graduated college, worked on Wall Street, founded a charity, owned rental property, and descended from Holocaust survivors, Republican Rep. George Santos of New York may find it more difficult than the typical freshman lawmaker to deliver results.
Success in the States: How Outstanding State Lawmakers Lead and Govern Event Craig Volden, Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking and professor at the Batten School, will join state lawmakers identified by independent observers as exceptional political leaders and leaders of nonprofits dedicated to supporting better political leadership in the U.S. to reflect on the issues at stake for our democracy.
Batten Showcase 2022: Building a Better Congress ft. Craig Volden News In this lecture, professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Craig Volden, shares data-driven insights on how to Build a Better Congress.
The Center for Effective Lawmaking Meets with Delegation from the Ukrainian Parliament News Batten School Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Craig Volden, met with a delegation from the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, in early September to discuss lawmaking effectiveness.
Research: Congressional town halls signal and support effective lawmaking News In an article for The Hill, Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Alan E. Wiseman write that Representatives and Senators who engage constituents through town halls can enhance their lawmaking effectiveness in Congress.
Volden Wins Honor for Paper That Highlights How Women Policymakers Thrive News Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Rachel Augustine Potter were recognized for their research exploring the effectiveness of female agency leaders. They discuss the "glass walls" effect and the potential implications of their findings.
The Primary Path for Turning Legislative Effectiveness into Electoral Success Research Effective lawmakers are the workhorses of the US Congress, yet we know little about the electoral payoffs of their efforts. Are effective lawmakers better at warding off challengers in the next election? Do they win at a greater rate?