I have read a number of blog posts, diaries, etc. recently that ask: what has Obama/Clinton actually accomplished? So I decided to make it easier for people to answer that question for themselves, and to compare the legislative records of the two. Other people have compared their voting histories -- see, for instance, here -- so I thought it would be interesting to ask: what legislation have each of the candidates actually gotten passed? I thought this would be worth knowing for two reasons: first, it's an indication of their priorities, and second, it helps us to assess their effectiveness as legislators.

So I went through and compiled a list, in three parts. Bills and amendments the two candidates sponsored that became law are here; bills and amendments they co-sponsored that became law are here, except for amendments they co-sponsored in the 109th Congress, which are here.

Except in the 'sponsored bills' part, I excluded legislation that: (a) simply states policy, expresses the sense of the Senate, or requires a report; (b) is purely ceremonial (e.g., naming post offices); (c) is of purely local interest (counting bills Clinton passed about NYC and 9/11 as being of more than local interest); or (d) appropriates less than $50 million and does nothing else that's not covered in a-c above. I did this because legislation in any of the above categories seemed to me relatively easy to get passed, and so less worth focussing on.

I did this to make it easier for people who wonder what Clinton and Obama have actually accomplished during their time in the Senate to find out the answer for themselves. Personally, I support Obama, for reasons I explain here and here. But I'm more committed to the idea that everyone should decide, one way or the other, on the basis of facts and information. And that's why I did this.

I hope it's useful.