About the LPI
Why we built the Legislative Performance Index and what we hope to achieve.
Our Mission
The Legislative Performance Index exists to give voters clear, objective information about how their elected representatives perform in Congress.
We believe democracy works better when citizens have access to factual, non-partisan data about legislative effectiveness. By measuring what members of Congress actually do—rather than what they say or which party they belong to—we hope to foster greater accountability and civic engagement.
The Problem We're Solving
Performance is Hard to Measure
Traditional congressional scorecards measure ideology or party loyalty—not actual legislative effectiveness. Voters are left guessing whether their representatives are productive, collaborative, ethical, and responsive.
Data is Fragmented
Information about congressional performance is scattered across dozens of government websites, reports, and databases. Ordinary citizens don't have time to compile and analyze it all.
Partisanship Clouds Judgment
When every evaluation is filtered through an ideological lens, it becomes impossible to separate effective legislators from ineffective ones. Good performance should be recognizable regardless of party.
Our Values
Transparency
Every data source, every formula, every calculation is public and verifiable. No black boxes.
Objectivity
We measure actions, not opinions. No editorial judgment influences member scores.
Accountability
Elected officials should be held accountable for their performance. Data makes accountability possible.
Civic Literacy
An informed electorate makes better decisions. We aim to educate, not persuade.
What We Are Not
- ×We are not a partisan organization. We don't favor Democrats or Republicans.
- ×We are not an ideological scorecard. We don't rate bills as "good" or "bad."
- ×We are not a lobbying group. We don't endorse candidates or advocate for policies.
- ×We are not making editorial judgments. Our scores are algorithmic, not opinion-based.
The Future of the LPI
This is just the beginning. As we refine our methodology and expand our data sources, we plan to add historical comparisons, state-level analysis, and deeper insights into legislative effectiveness.
Our ultimate goal is to make congressional performance measurement a standard tool in American civic life—as familiar as election results and as trusted as economic indicators.