Legislative Effectiveness in the United States Congress

'This groundbreaking research shows the value of having more women in Congress. Among other important findings, Volden and Wiseman clearly show that women more effectively build coalitions across party lines and focus more directly on getting things done. That has certainly been my experience throughout the past two decades, and it reinforces what I've said all along: we need more women in public office. The answer to the partisan gridlock that currently plagues congress can be found in a very simple question: where are the women?' Carolyn Maloney, United States Representative (Democrat - New York)
'Why are some legislators more effective than others? How and why does lawmaking prowess matter? In this innovative and convincing new book, Volden and Wiseman offer a deep and impressive dive into the concept and measurement of legislative effectiveness. The analysis is crisp and creative, and it will force students of Congress to think more systematically about the motivations and talents that underpin lawmakers' contributions on Capitol Hill.' Sarah Binder, George Washington University and The Brookings Institution
'Assessing the quality of our elected representatives is a fundamental problem in democratic politics. In this outstanding book, Volden and Wiseman develop an innovative new measure for legislator effectiveness that provides important insights into the types of members who are successful and into the role of political institutions in influencing who is likely to be effective.' Eric Schickler, Jeffrey and Ashley McDermott Professor of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley
'By devising and applying a thoughtful new measure of legislative effectiveness, this landmark study fundamentally recasts methodological individualism. Members of Congress are certainly single-minded seekers of re-election. But they are also lawmakers. The elegance of Volden and Wiseman's reframing will change how we view Congress and parliamentary skill - and quite possibly restore our faith in Congress. Their book richly deserves a place in undergraduate and graduate courses on Congress, leadership, and methods.' Rick Valelly, Claude C. Smith '14 Professor of Political Science, Swarthmore College