New approach traces policy idea flow in US Congress using text reuse analysis.

The Problem: Most bills fail to become law. Yet, successful legislation often contains language from other bills.

We introduce a novel method to track how specific policy ideas move between legislative drafts.

Our Methodology:

By analyzing text reuse across thousands of proposed bills, we map the journey of key phrases and concepts.

This approach reveals connections invisible through traditional methods.

Key Findings & Significance:

Successful legislation frequently originates from multiple failed drafts.

Tracking this flow illuminates legislative networks and influences.

Our findings offer fresh insights into the mechanics of lawmaking in Congress.ण