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.  

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.

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 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.

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.

Join twenty senior congressional staffers for a reception. The Batten School and the Center for Effective Lawmaking are honored to host this event welcoming the 117th Stennis Fellows Program to the University of Virginia.

Craig Volden, professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, writes in The Conversation that there are ways to get things done under the U.S. Capitol dome.

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.

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.

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?