How scoring works

We score what members do, never their party or ideology. Every member of Congress gets ranked from public record according to neutral, objective data such as: bills, votes, amendments, and roll-call votes.

Point values are weighted by how rare — and how hard — an action is: outcomes like clearing committee, passing a chamber, or becoming law are worth far more than volume actions like casting votes or cosponsoring bills. Bulk actions are capped: only a member's first few introductions and cosponsorships each week score points (the caps are listed below). Every week, past and present, is scored under the current rubric.

Legislation

Sponsoring bills and moving them through the lifecycle. The sponsor is credited at every stage their bill advances.

Action	Points	What it means
Introduce a billonly your first 10 each week score	+6	You sponsored a bill. The play that starts everything.
Bill hits a cosponsor milestone	+6	Your bill crossed 25, 50, or 100 cosponsors. Traction.
Bill gets a committee markup	+12	A committee actively worked your bill in a markup.
Bill reported out of committee	+20	Your bill cleared committee and advanced.
Bill discharged from committee	+24	Your bill was pulled out of a stalled committee. A rare maneuver.
Bill passes its chamber	+30	Your bill passed the chamber it started in.
Bill passes the other chamber	+40	Your bill cleared the second chamber too.
Bill becomes law	+60	Your bill was signed into law. The touchdown.
Bill vetoed by the President	+12	Your bill reached the desk and was vetoed. It got that far.
Veto overridden → law anyway	+50	Congress overrode the veto and your bill became law. The comeback.
Bipartisan bonus	+6	Your bill drew cross-party cosponsors. Neutral by construction.

Co-sponsorship

The assist: signing on to others' bills, and the payoff when they pass.

Action	Points	What it means
Cosponsor a billonly your first 35 each week score	+1	You signed on to someone else's bill. The assist.
A bill you cosponsored passes	+4	A bill you cosponsored advanced to passage. The payoff.
Withdraw a cosponsorship	−10	You backed out of a bill after signing on.

Amendments

A mini bill-lifecycle, credited to the amendment's sponsor.

Action	Points	What it means
Offer an amendment	+2	You offered an amendment to a bill.
Amendment agreed to	+20	Your amendment was agreed to. The payoff.

Voting

Showing up and how you vote, with a bonus for crossing the aisle.

Action	Points	What it means
Cast a vote	+1	You showed up and voted Yea or Nay.
Vote present	−2	You voted present instead of taking a side. No reward for not acting.
Miss a vote	−2	You missed a roll-call vote.
Vote on a veto override	+4	You voted on a veto-override roll-call.
Maverick vote	+6	You crossed the aisle against your own caucus.