Graves Named “Most Effective Legislator” of 118th Congress

By Congressman Graves’ Office

The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) at the University of Virginia announced Tuesday, March 25th the release of their Legislative Effectiveness Scores for the 118th Congress (2023-2024).

The group announced that Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) topped their list this year with a Legislative Effectiveness Score seven times higher than the average member of the House.

“Our analysis found that Representative Graves ranked as the most effective Republican House Member in the last Congress. In addition, he ranked as one of the most effective Representatives in terms of having their sponsored standalone bills substantially incorporated into the laws of other members of Congress. We congratulate the Representative for his hard work and setting an example for promoting the importance of effective lawmaking,” according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

Legislative Effectiveness Scores are based on “the bills that each member of Congress sponsors, how far they move through the lawmaking process, and how substantial their policy proposals are.” Graves sponsored 17 bills in the last Congress, 8 of which passed the House, and 4 of which became law as stand-alone measures.

“I have always strived to get things done for Missouri in Congress. You can accomplish a lot by working hard to push legislation forward. That’s why it is an absolute honor to be recognized as the most effective lawmaker of the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking,” said Rep. Graves. “It’s an honor to work for the people of North Missouri and I look forward to getting more accomplished this year!

Major bills from the 118th Congress sponsored by Graves and signed into law, whether as stand-alone measures or as part of other bills, included the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, the E-BRIDGE Act, and the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023.

Graves serves as Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and also sits on the House Armed Services Committee.

The Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023 was a law that temporarily extended specific FAA programs through December 31st, 2023. It provided for the extension of taxes funding the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and requires the designation of certain airports as ports of entry. It also amends Title 49, US Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.

The E-BRIDGE Act authorizes the Department of Commerce to award economic development grants for public-private partnerships and certain consortiums to carry out specified broadband projects. It also aims to remove hurdles for broadband projects such as last-mile regulations that delay rural broadband development.

The Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA) is legislation that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Civil Works Program for projects to improve the nation’s ports, harbors, inland waterways, flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration. It includes funding for water and wastewater management, including stormwater management.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 was signed into law on May 16, 2024. It reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through Fiscal Year 2028, including activities related to airport planning, development, facilities, equipment, and operations. The National Transportation Safety Board is also reauthorized through FY2028. The bill imposes limits on foreign interchange agreements to ensure competitive fairness in the U.S. airline industry.

All four measures were passed by the US House and Senate and signed into law by President Joe Biden.