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.