Collective Representation in Congress

• In Event: Representation and Responsiveness

Abstract

How often does Congress do what the majority of the U.S. public wants? In this study, we revisit the classic suggestion to study collective representation. We trace over 100 issues that animated the Congressional agenda as it moves through the House and Senate, comparing its fate with the public's preferences on those specific issues. We find that the outcome of the legislative process represents the majority preference of the nation on 54 percent of this Congressional agenda. Our findings further illuminate how the bicameral nature of Congress is key to how partisan polarization may obstruct popular representation: The House tends to pass nationally popular bills and vote down unpopular ones, regardless of the issue's polarization. In contrast, passage in the Senate is not predicted by national popularity but rather by the degree of bipartisan public support. In nearly all cases, the way gerrymandered House districts or malapportioned Senate constituencies distort issue majorities cannot exclusively explain why Congress deviates from the U.S. public.

Authors

• Stephen D. Ansolabehere, Harvard University

• Shiro Kuriwaki, Yale University