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109th Congress (2005-2007) hub

109th Congress (2005-2007), in detail.

Every analytics panel scoped to the 109th Congress (2005-2007), plus comparisons against the 108th.

13,072
Bills introduced
483
Became law
1,859
Roll-call votes
546
Members

Productivity Index

109th Congress by the numbers: 13,072 bills introduced, 483 enacted, 1,859 roll-call votes.

13,072Bills introduced+22.5% vs. previous
483Became law-4.2% vs. previous
1,859Roll-call votes
3.7% of bills introduced this congress have become law.
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress
Section 1

Member Rankings

The named winners and losers — workhorses, mavericks, and bipartisan builders.

The Workhorse Index

Members ranked by primary-sponsored bills.

  1. 1Robert Menendez
    Robert Menendez
    D·NJSENATE
    336bills
  2. 2Rick Santorum
    Rick Santorum
    R·PASENATE
    156bills
  3. 3Dianne Feinstein
    Dianne Feinstein
    D·CASENATE
    129bills
  4. 4William H. Frist
    William H. Frist
    R·TNSENATE
    125bills
  5. 5Charles E. Schumer
    98bills
  1. 6Sam Brownback
    Sam Brownback
    R·KSSENATE
    97bills
  2. 7Gordon H. Smith
    Gordon H. Smith
    R·ORSENATE
    94bills
  3. 8Mike DeWine
    Mike DeWine
    R·OHSENATE
    92bills
  4. 9Hillary Rodham Clinton
    90bills
  5. 10Olympia J. Snowe
    Olympia J. Snowe
    R·MESENATE
    89bills
Show all (10)
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Cosponsor Kings

Members who sign onto the most bills.

  1. 1Robert Menendez
    Robert Menendez
    D·NJSENATE
    1,138cosponsorships
  2. 2Richard J. Durbin
    558cosponsorships
  3. 3Frank R. Lautenberg
    507cosponsorships
  4. 4Hillary Rodham Clinton
    502cosponsorships
  5. 5Edward M. Kennedy
    426cosponsorships
  1. 6John F. Kerry
    John F. Kerry
    D·MASENATE
    415cosponsorships
  2. 7Joseph I. Lieberman
    414cosponsorships
  3. 8Tim Johnson
    Tim Johnson
    D·SDSENATE
    409cosponsorships
  4. 9Barbara Boxer
    Barbara Boxer
    D·CASENATE
    408cosponsorships
  5. 10Mary L. Landrieu
    Mary L. Landrieu
    D·LASENATE
    377cosponsorships
Show all (10)
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

The Maverick Meter

Members who vote against their party's majority position most often.

  1. 1Lincoln Chafee
    Lincoln Chafee
    R·RISENATE
    38%236 of 625
  2. 2Ben Nelson
    Ben Nelson
    D·NESENATE
    37%238 of 643
  3. 3Olympia J. Snowe
    Olympia J. Snowe
    R·MESENATE
    28%181 of 637
  4. 4Susan M. Collins
    Susan M. Collins
    R·MESENATE
    25%162 of 645
  5. 5Arlen Specter
    Arlen Specter
    D·PASENATE
    23%145 of 628
  1. 6Mike DeWine
    Mike DeWine
    R·OHSENATE
    22%139 of 642
  2. 7Jeff Flake
    Jeff Flake
    R·AZSENATE
    21%241 of 1161
  3. 8John McCain
    John McCain
    R·AZSENATE
    21%121 of 587
  4. 9Kent Conrad
    Kent Conrad
    D·NDSENATE
    17%109 of 626
  5. 10Max Baucus
    Max Baucus
    D·MTSENATE
    17%108 of 623
Show all (10)
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Bipartisan Builders

Cosponsorships of bills sponsored by the opposite party.

  1. 1Robert Menendez
    Robert Menendez
    D·NJSENATE
    458cross-party cosponsorships
  2. 2James M. Jeffords
    283cross-party cosponsorships
  3. 3Joseph I. Lieberman
    221cross-party cosponsorships
  4. 4Richard J. Durbin
    216cross-party cosponsorships
  5. 5Mary L. Landrieu
    Mary L. Landrieu
    D·LASENATE
    213cross-party cosponsorships
  1. 6Tim Johnson
    Tim Johnson
    D·SDSENATE
    204cross-party cosponsorships
  2. 7Jeff Bingaman
    Jeff Bingaman
    D·NMSENATE
    189cross-party cosponsorships
  3. 8Frank R. Lautenberg
    186cross-party cosponsorships
  4. 9Hillary Rodham Clinton
    177cross-party cosponsorships
  5. 10Ken Salazar
    Ken Salazar
    D·COSENATE
    175cross-party cosponsorships
Show all (10)
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Freshman Power Rankings

First-term members of the 109th Congress, ranked by composite activity.

  1. 1Ken Salazar
    Ken Salazar
    D·COSENATE
    644composite score
  2. 2Emanuel Cleaver
    Emanuel Cleaver
    D·MO-5HOUSE
    585composite score
  3. 3Brian Higgins
    Brian Higgins
    D·NY-27HOUSE
    577composite score
  4. 4Barack Obama
    Barack Obama
    D·ILSENATE
    573composite score
  5. 5John R. "Randy" Kuhl Jr.
    565composite score
  1. 6Debbie Wasserman Schultz
    556composite score
  2. 7Al Green
    Al Green
    D·TX-9HOUSE
    528composite score
  3. 8Doris O. Matsui
    Doris O. Matsui
    D·CA-5HOUSE
    488composite score
  4. 9Allyson Y. Schwartz
    Allyson Y. Schwartz
    D·PA-13HOUSE
    473composite score
  5. 10Michael T. McCaul
    Michael T. McCaul
    R·TX-10HOUSE
    463composite score
Show all (10)
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Closest Re-elections

Members whose last election was decided by the smallest margins.

  1. 1Mel Martinez
    Mel Martinez
    R·FLSENATE
    1.11pt margin
  2. 2John Thune
    John Thune
    R·SDSENATE
    1.15pt margin
  3. 3Jim Bunning
    Jim Bunning
    R·KYSENATE
    1.31pt margin
  4. 4Lisa Murkowski
    Lisa Murkowski
    R·AKSENATE
    3.03pt margin
  5. 5Richard Burr
    Richard Burr
    R·NCSENATE
    4.58pt margin
  1. 6Ken Salazar
    Ken Salazar
    D·COSENATE
    4.77pt margin
  2. 7Jim DeMint
    Jim DeMint
    R·SCSENATE
    9.57pt margin
  3. 8Arlen Specter
    Arlen Specter
    R·PASENATE
    10.63pt margin
  4. 9Russell D. Feingold
    11.24pt margin
  5. 10Tom Coburn
    Tom Coburn
    R·OKSENATE
    11.52pt margin
Show all (10)
109th Congress

Attendance Hall of Fame & Hall of Shame

Who showed up — and who didn't.

Hall of Fame · best 5

  1. 1Susan M. Collins
    Susan M. Collins
    R·MESENATE
    100.0%645 of 645
  2. 2Chuck Grassley
    Chuck Grassley
    R·IASENATE
    100.0%645 of 645
  3. 3Harry Reid
    Harry Reid
    D·NVSENATE
    99.8%645 of 646
  4. 4Jack Reed
    Jack Reed
    D·RISENATE
    99.8%645 of 646
  5. 5Mitch McConnell
    Mitch McConnell
    R·KYSENATE
    99.8%645 of 646
  1. 6Tammy Baldwin
    Tammy Baldwin
    D·WISENATE
    99.8%1214 of 1216
  2. 7Carl Levin
    Carl Levin
    D·MISENATE
    99.7%645 of 647
  3. 8Thomas R. Carper
    Thomas R. Carper
    D·DESENATE
    99.7%645 of 647
  4. 9Christopher S. Bond
    99.7%645 of 647
  5. 10George Allen
    George Allen
    R·VASENATE
    99.7%645 of 647
Show all (10)

Hall of Shame · worst 5

  1. 1Jon S. Corzine
    Jon S. Corzine
    D·NJSENATE
    72.9%136 of 502 missed
  2. 2John D. Rockefeller IV
    81.9%143 of 788 missed
  3. 3Daniel K. Inouye
    Daniel K. Inouye
    D·HISENATE
    90.1%71 of 716 missed
  4. 4Rob Portman
    Rob Portman
    R·OHSENATE
    90.9%15 of 165 missed
  5. 5Joseph R. Biden Jr.
    91.0%64 of 709 missed
  1. 6John McCain
    John McCain
    R·AZSENATE
    91.7%58 of 703 missed
  2. 7Trent Lott
    Trent Lott
    R·MSSENATE
    92.8%50 of 695 missed
  3. 8Joseph I. Lieberman
    93.1%48 of 693 missed
  4. 9Sherrod Brown
    Sherrod Brown
    D·OHSENATE
    93.7%82 of 1296 missed
  5. 10Michael B. Enzi
    Michael B. Enzi
    R·WYSENATE
    94.7%36 of 681 missed
Show all (10)
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress
Section 2

Bills Pulse

What Congress is working on, what makes it through, and what dies on the way.

The Mortality Funnel

Only 3.7% of bills introduced in the 109th Congress have become law (483 of 13,072).

Introduced
13,072
Saw action
13,072100%
Passed a chamber
2,10816%
Passed both chambers
1,51372%
Became law
48332%
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Time to Pass

Median time from introduction to enactment: 168 days.

< 30 days
79
30–90 days
66
90–180 days
105
180–365 days
130
1–2 years
103
2+ years
0
Range: 0 – 710 days · 483 enacted bills
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Policy Area Treemap

13,072 bills across 35 policy areas.

Bills by policy area in 109th Congress (2005-2007)
Foreign Trade and Interna…1,697Commemorations1,300Health1,132Taxation1,056International Affairs846Public Lands and Natural …683Armed Forces and National…631Congress598Crime and Law Enforcement459Government Operations and…436
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Most Active Bills (last 30 days)

The bills Congress keeps coming back to.

  • H.R. 6164

    National Institutes of Health Reform Act of 2006

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 5483

    Railroad Retirement Disability Earnings Act

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 482

    Pine Springs Land Exchange Act

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 4997

    Physicians for Underserved Areas Act

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 1245

    Johanna's Law

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 4709

    Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 5948

    Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 5946

    Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 6338

    Geneva Distinctive Emblems Protection Act of 2006

    6
    velocity
  • H.R. 486

    Holloman Air Force Base Land Exchange Act

    6
    velocity
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Most Cosponsored Bills

Which bills built the biggest coalitions.

  • H.R. 282

    Iran Freedom Support Act

    360
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 994

    To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums.

    340
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 147

    Social Security Fairness Act of 2005

    327
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 817

    Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2005

    325
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 358

    Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act

    321
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 4562

    Fourteenth Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act

    313
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 1259

    To award a congressional gold medal on behalf of the Tuskegee Airmen, collectively, in recognition of their unique military record, which inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces.

    310
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 2808

    Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act

    309
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 2872

    Louis Braille Bicentennial--Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act

    309
    cosponsors
  • H.R. 4902

    Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal Act

    302
    cosponsors
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Bipartisan Magnet Bills

Bills with the most balanced D/R cosponsorship.

  • 1
    H.R. 793

    Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act

    D43
    R43
    100
    balance
  • 2
    H.R. 986

    Teacher Tax Credit Act of 2005

    D42
    R42
    100
    balance
  • 3
    H.R. 3

    SAFETEA-LU

    D40
    R40
    100
    balance
  • 4
    H.Res. 523

    Condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threats against Israel.

    D35
    R35
    100
    balance
  • 5
    H.Con.Res. 390

    Expressing the sense of the Congress that, as a matter of economic and national security, the United States Government should protect and support United States currency.

    D29
    R29
    100
    balance
  • 6
    H.Res. 441

    To congratulate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Discovery crew of Commander Eileen Collins, Pilot Jim Kelly, Mission Specialist Charlie Camarda, Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence, Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi, Mission Specialist Steve Robinson, and Mission Specialist Andy Thomas on the successful completion of their 14 day test flight to the International Space Station for the first step of the Vision for Space Exploration, begun from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 26, 2005, and completed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on August 9, 2005, which historical mission represented a great step forward into the new beginning of the Second Space Age.

    D29
    R29
    100
    balance
  • 7
    S. 3936

    National Competitiveness Investment Act

    D21
    R21
    100
    balance
  • 8
    H.R. 1544

    Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act of 2005

    D20
    R20
    100
    balance
  • 9
    H.Res. 12

    Expressing condolences and support for assistance to the victims of the earthquake and tsunamis that occurred on December 26, 2004, in South and Southeast Asia.

    D20
    R20
    100
    balance
  • 10
    S. 313

    Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Act of 2005

    D19
    R19
    100
    balance
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Chamber Composition

Party split for the 109th Congress at the start of the session (Jan 3).

house446
house party composition
  • Democrat208
  • Independent1
  • Republican237
senate100
senate party composition
  • Democrat44
  • Independent1
  • Republican55
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress
Section 3

Votes & Polarization

Roll-call patterns, partisan fault lines, and the moments Congress was nearly tied.

Closest Votes

Roll-call votes decided by the smallest margins.

  • 1

    Call of the House

    house·Dec 8, 2006
    0
    vote margin
  • 2

    On the Motion (Motion to Waive the Emergency Designation Re: Schumer Amdt. No. 4587)

    senate·Jul 12, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 50
    50 Nay
  • 3

    On the Motion (Motion to Waive CBA Re: Biden Amdt. No. 4553)

    senate·Jul 12, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 50
    50 Nay
  • 4

    On Agreeing to the Amendment

    house·H.R. 5576·Jun 14, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 214
    214 Nay
  • 5

    On the Amendment S.Amdt. 4097 to S. 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006)

    senate·May 25, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 49
    49 Nay
  • 6

    On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3166 to S.Con.Res. 83 (No short title on file)

    senate·Mar 16, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 50
    50 Nay
  • 7

    On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3121 to S.Con.Res. 83 (No short title on file)

    senate·Mar 16, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 50
    50 Nay
  • 8

    On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3009 to S.Con.Res. 83 (No short title on file)

    senate·Mar 15, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 49
    49 Nay
  • 9

    On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3028 to S.Con.Res. 83 (No short title on file)

    senate·Mar 14, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 50
    50 Nay
  • 10

    On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3013 to S.Con.Res. 83 (No short title on file)

    senate·Mar 14, 2006
    0
    vote margin
    Yea 50
    50 Nay
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Committee Power Index

Committees ranked by bills referred and bills enacted.

Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Vote Type Breakdown

1,859 roll-call votes by category.

Votes by type in 109th Congress (2005-2007)
amendment739procedural712passage170other120confirmation59cloture42journal8quorum4adjournment4election1
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

VP Tie-Breakers

Times the Vice President cast the deciding vote in the Senate.

1
Tie-breaker votes
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress

Vote Activity Calendar

1,859 roll-call votes over 246 days.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
SunTueThuSat
Source: Congress.gov109th Congress
Section 4

Find your Vote Twin

The headline interactive — answer 10 real votes, find the member who voted most like you.

Find your Vote Twin

Pick topics, answer 10 real votes, and we'll show you the member of Congress who voted most like you.

Section 5

vs. Previous Congress

109th vs. 108th Congress

Side-by-side, with directional change.

Bills introduced
13,072
vs.
10,669
+22.5%
Became law
483
vs.
504
-4.2%
Roll-call votes
1,859
vs.
1,896
-2.0%