Upton receives high mark for bipartisanship in 2019 - The McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and the Lugar Center named Upton as the most bipartisan member among the Michigan congressional delegation

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, received the highest score of bipartisanship among the Michigan congressional delegation in 2019 from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and the Lugar Center. With a Bipartisan Index score of 1.15241, Upton ranked as the 14th most bipartisan Republican member in the U.S. House of Representatives and the 24th most bipartisan among all members.

"When members work together across the aisle, the American people win," Upton said. "Folks across southwest Michigan and around the nation are sick and tired of watching D.C. politicians fight and play politics while this country struggles with real challenges. That's why groups like the Problem Solvers Caucus are so important -- especially in divided government. We need to talk with each other, reach across the aisle, and give each other the benefit of the doubt. There is more that unites us than divides us. We must always remember -- before we are Republicans or Democrats, we are Americans first."

Upton serves as vice chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. Beginning in 2017, the PSC became an independent member-driven group in Congress, comprised of representatives from across the country -- equally divided between Democrats and Republicans -- committed to finding common ground on many of the key issues facing the nation. Since 2017, Upton and the PSC has found bipartisan solutions on a number of issues, including agriculture labor, House rules reforms, criminal justice reform, gun and school safety, and reopening the federal government after the 2019 shutdown.

According to the Lugar Center, the Bipartisan Index is a tool that measures the degree to which Senators and Representatives work across party lines on legislation. The Bipartisan Index incorporates data from all Congresses since 1993. The rankings are based on the frequency with which members work with members of the other party on their bill sponsorships and co-sponsorships.

The Lugar Center was founded by former United States Senator Richard G. Lugar and is a platform for an informed debate on global issues.

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