News Summary

Orange County’s congressional delegation has recorded a legislative success rate of just 1.99% in the current Congress, with only four bills signed into law. This low rate reflects broader trends of legislative difficulty in a divided Congress, where many proposals struggle to gain approval. Most newly enacted laws pertain to renaming post offices, highlighting the challenges lawmakers face in advancing significant legislation. Performance metrics for individual representatives show varying levels of effectiveness amid a backdrop of partisan disagreement and limited legislative movement.

Orange County’s Congressional Delegation Achieves Just 1.99% Legislative Success Rate in 118th Congress

Orange County’s House delegation has reported a legislative success rate of only 1.99% during the current 118th Congress, with just four out of 201 introduced bills being signed into law from 2023 to 2025. Notably, all four of the bills that became law were related to renaming post offices, reflecting a trend of low-stakes legislation in Congress.

In comparison, the national average for legislation passed remains low, typically falling between 1.5% to 3%. This statistic highlights a common occurrence in Congress where various proposals struggle to gain traction, especially in a divided legislature.

Legislative Performance of Orange County Representatives

Among the members of Congress from Orange County, Rep. Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) emerged as the highest-ranking Republican, achieving a legislative effectiveness score of 3.92. On the other hand, then-Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) was the highest-ranking Democrat with a score of 1.51. These scores indicate the differing levels of success among party members in the region.

The average effectiveness score among House Republicans during the 118th Congress was 1.44, while Democrats averaged 0.55. The discrepancy in scores further illustrates the challenges faced by lawmakers in passing legislation. The highest scoring member nationwide was Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri) with a score of 6.793, contrasting sharply with Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) significantly lower score of 0.009.

Individual Representative Performance Metrics

Detailed performance metrics for each Orange County representative shed light on their legislative activities:

• Rep. Lou Correa: Introduced 14 bills; 1 became law; requested $14,592,031 in earmarks; social media reach of 58,226.
• Rep. Young Kim: Introduced 28 bills; 1 became law; requested $24,362,000 in earmarks; social media reach of 125,589.
• Rep. Mike Levin: Introduced 30 bills; 1 became law; requested $17,738,535 in earmarks; social media reach of 167,241.
• Rep. Katie Porter: Introduced 76 bills; none became law; failed to request earmarks; social media reach of 2,944,953.
• Rep. Linda Sánchez: Introduced 15 bills; 0 became law; requested $13,689,279 in earmarks; social media reach of 79,618.
• Rep. Michelle Steel: Introduced 31 bills; 1 became law; requested $263,867,346 in earmarks; social media reach of 1,873,639.

Challenges and Trends In Legislative Activity

The exceedingly low legislative success for the Orange County delegation is understood within the context of a closely divided Congress, where partisan disagreements result in reduced legislative movement. Experts note that many proposals often change significantly before they are enacted, with final versions commonly carrying the name of a different author.

While the trend of focusing on renaming post offices may seem trivial, it demonstrates the kind of noncontroversial bills Congress is more likely to pass without significant opposition. This pattern underscores the difficulty in advancing high-stakes legislation, especially in a fragmented political landscape.

In California, the average effectiveness score for Senate Democrats during the 118th Congress was 1.11. The presence of three U.S. senators, including Laphonza Butler, who was appointed following Dianne Feinstein’s passing, influenced these scores and legislative dynamics.

Overall, the performance metrics of Orange County’s congressional members reveal the complexities of legislative success and the significant challenges that currently exist within the political system.

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Additional Resources

• OC Register: One Thing OC’s Congressional Delegation Delivered
• Wikipedia: Legislation
• Daily News: LA County’s Congressional Delegation Success
• Google Search: California Congressional delegation
• NBC Los Angeles: Control of Congress in Orange County
• Google Scholar: Congress delegation performance
• LA Times: Battle for Congress in Orange County
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Congress