Despite Increased Party Cohesion in Congress, Bipartisan Lawmaking Persists

Introduction

Contrary to expectations of more partisan governance despite growing party cohesion, this study examines votes on all laws enacted from 1973–2016 and highlights a subset by Mayhew. Using regression analysis across congressional sessions spanning four decades, we demonstrate bipartisan collaboration remains strikingly consistent.

Consistency in Bipartisanship

* Elected laws continue to receive substantial cross-party support (averaging similar bipartisanship rates)

* Even landmark legislation maintains high levels of bipartisan backing

Recent congressional sessions show comparable or even slightly less* legislative success than earlier periods.

Key Findings & Rationale

The persistence of broad-based coalitions suggests that despite centralized party power and increased internal discipline, the mechanics of enacting major legislation remain fundamentally unchanged since the 1970s. Bipartisan support remains essential.