Special Report

US Senators Doing the Least in Office

Samuel Stebbins

Published: December 8, 2023 8:02 am

The United States Senate is more politically polarized than it has been in decades. According to analysis by the Pew Research Center, the ideological gap between Republican and Democratic senators is wider now than it has been at any point in at least the last 50 years. And growing partisanship has coincided with a sharp decline of legislative activity on the Senate floor. 

Government records show that the Senate spent an average of 999 hours in session per year between 2013 and 2022, down from an annual average of 1,163 hours from 2003 to 2012. Additionally, the Senate passed 1,489 public laws in the last 10 years, 617 fewer than in the preceding 10 years. 

While passing a bill through a divided Senate requires collective action, all sitting senators have the constitutional power to unilaterally propose new legislation by sponsoring a bill. Bills that originate in the Senate may be for the benefit of certain constituencies or the country at large. And even though most Senate bills do not become law, some senators appear less willing to make the effort to draft and introduce bills than others. 

Using historical records from the federal government’s congressional database, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 41 U.S. senators who are doing the least. Senators are ranked on an equally-weighted index composed of the number of bills they sponsored between January 2019 and October 2023 and the number of those bills that became law. Only the 81 senators who have been in office since 2019 or earlier were considered. 

Of the 41 senators on this list, 18 are members of the Democratic Party, 20 are Republicans, and three are independent. Between January 2019 and October 2023, only one senator on this list has sponsored over 300 bills. At the same time, no senators have had more than four sponsored bills signed into law, and 10 have not sponsored a single bill that became law. (Here is a look at the 24 members of congress who did not last 100 days in office.)

While the senators on this list have introduced and passed fewer pieces of legislation than many of their colleagues, some have additional responsibilities, either chairing or sitting as ranking members in a nonpartisan committee, often an indication of seniority and areas of expertise. This list includes the Senate Budget Committee Chair, Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, as well as Susan Collins, a Republican senator from Maine who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

Each senator on this list must win reelection to remain in power, and though voter sentiment is influenced by any number of factors unrelated to bill proposals, many of these senators are not especially popular. Based on a survey conducted by public opinion research company Morning Consult in the second quarter of 2023, 21 of the senators on this list had approval ratings below 50% – and of those, 11 are up for reelection in 2024, should they choose to run. (Here is a look at the least popular senators in America.)

41. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming (R)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 247
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee
• Job performance rating: 70% approve, 18% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2007

40. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada (D)

Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 210
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 44% approve, 34% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2019

39. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky (R)

Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 307
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
• Job performance rating: 48% approve, 40% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2011

38. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana (R)

Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 234
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
• Job performance rating: 52% approve, 35% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2015

37. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York (D)

Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 262
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 49% approve, 31% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2009

36. Sen. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii (D)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 193
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 63% approve, 26% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2013

35. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland (D)

Source: Astrid Riecken / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 225
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 50% approve, 24% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2017

34. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina (R)

Tim Scott (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 191
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
• Job performance rating: 54% approve, 30% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2013

33. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri (R)

Source: Sarah Silbiger / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 218
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 44% approve, 39% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2019

32. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina (R)

160911-Z-DZ751-540 (CC BY 2.0) by Jim Greenhill

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 179
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Judiciary Committee
• Job performance rating: 45% approve, 44% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2003

31. Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia (D)

Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 245
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 39% approve, 55% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2010

30. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas (R)

Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 276
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 51% approve, 33% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2015

29. Sen. Christopher A. Coons of Delaware (D)

Source: Samuel Corum / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 242
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Select Committee on Ethics Chair
• Job performance rating: 52% approve, 31% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2010

28. Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota (R)

Source: Sarah Silbiger / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 202
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 55% approve, 27% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2011

27. Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia (D)

Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 235
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Select Committee on Intelligence Chair
• Job performance rating: 51% approve, 32% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2009

26. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island (D)

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Jef Nickerson

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 201
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): Armed Services Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 54% approve, 25% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 1997

25. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia (D)

Tim Kaine (CC BY 2.0) by Tim Pierce

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 160
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 47% approve, 36% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2013

24. Sen. Susan M. Collins of Maine (R)

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine (CC BY 2.0) by Medill DC

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 191
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Appropriations Committee
• Job performance rating: 43% approve, 50% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 1997

23. Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington (D)

Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 141
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 49% approve, 35% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2001

22. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota (D)

Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 205
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 45% approve, 33% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2018

21. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico (D)

AD092A0947 (CC BY 2.0) by National Park Service

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 170
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): Joint Economic Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 45% approve, 36% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2013

20. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas (R)

Source: Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 103
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 4
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
• Job performance rating: 51% approve, 29% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2011

19. Sen. Michael F. Bennet of Colorado (D)

Senator Bennet Visits The Down... (CC BY 2.0) by Phil Roeder

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 230
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 50% approve, 29% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2009

18. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan (D)

Source: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 149
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 47% approve, 34% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2001

17. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island (D)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 178
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Budget Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 51% approve, 31% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2007

16. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington (D)

Source: Chris Joseph Taylor / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 172
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Appropriations Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 50% approve, 38% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 1993

15. Sen. Christopher Murphy of Connecticut (D)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 167
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 54% approve, 33% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2013

14. Sen. Todd Young of Indiana (R)

Source: Samuel Corum / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 190
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 43% approve, 35% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 2017

13. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona (I)

Kyrsten Sinema (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 88
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 3
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 42% approve, 43% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2019

12. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota (R)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 145
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 62% approve, 26% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2015

11. Sen. Angus S. King Jr. of Maine (I)

Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 175
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 62% approve, 28% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2013

10. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina (R)

Thom Tillis (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 104
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 2
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 40% approve, 38% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2015

9. Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont (I)

Source: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 167
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 63% approve, 36% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2007

8. Sen. Thomas R. Carper of Delaware (D)

Source: Jeff Fusco / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 129
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Environment and Public Works Committee Chair
• Job performance rating: 53% approve, 28% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2001

7. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota (R)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 155
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 47% approve, 36% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2019

6. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska (R)

Deb Fischer (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 115
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Rules and Administration Committee
• Job performance rating: 48% approve, 34% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2013

5. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia (R)

Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 114
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee
• Job performance rating: 48% approve, 36% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2015

4. Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho (R)

Source: Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 111
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 1
• Committee leadership role(s): Ranking member of the Finance Committee
• Job performance rating: 46% approve, 40% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2029
• In office since: 1999

3. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky (R)

Source: Tom Brenner / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 123
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 32% approve, 61% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 1985

2. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah (R)

Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 109
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 50% approve, 41% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2025
• In office since: 2019

1. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi (R)

Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

• Total bills sponsored, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 84
• Sponsored bills that became law, Jan. 2019 – Oct. 2023: 0
• Committee leadership role(s): None
• Job performance rating: 43% approve, 39% disapprove
• Current term ends: Jan. 3, 2027
• In office since: 2018

Methodology

To identify the 41 U.S. Senators who are doing the least, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed historical data from the federal government’s congressional database. We ranked each of the 81 sitting U.S. Senators who have been in office since 2019 or earlier on an equally-weighted index composed of the number of bills they sponsored between January 2019 and October 2023 and the number of those bills that became law. 

We also reviewed supplemental information on the senators who either chair, or are ranking members of, a committee in the current 118th Congress. Only committees with no party affiliation are listed. 

Additional supplemental data on each senator’s approval rating is from public opinion research company Morning Consult, and is current as of the second quarter of 2023.