The Challenges of Partisan Conflict for Lawmaking in Congress

Increasing party polarization and decreasing bipartisanship over the last several decades have made many skeptical of Congress’s ability to address national concerns via the traditional legislative process. This frustration includes both a worry that Congress faces gridlock and fails to address problems, as well as concerns that when Congress does act, legislation is pushed through on party-line votes, with little deliberation for room for bipartisan compromises. This chapter explores whether Congress is currently capable of creating meaningful legislation both in terms of the risks of gridlock and whether the legislation that does pass is substantially more partisan than in previous eras. What factors prevent quality lawmaking and when is lawmaking still possible?