Washington, D.C. – In its newest lifetime rankings of the U.S. Senate, the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University recognized Senator Joe Donnelly as the second-most bipartisan Senator since 1993. He is the highest ranking Senator on the index currently serving in the Senate. The new Bipartisan Index ratings reflect Donnelly’s effective work with Republicans to get things done for Hoosiers. He has had many provisions signed into law since coming to the Senate, including legislation to address military mental health and the opioid epidemic. Donnelly is expected to have another provision signed into law in the coming days, as the national defense bill includes his North Korea strategy amendment. Earlier this year, the Lugar Center ranked Donnelly as the second-most bipartisan member of Congress in the 114th Congress (2015-2016).
Donnelly said, “As the hired help for Hoosiers, my job is fight for good policies that will benefit Indiana. In Indiana, we know that the best results come when we work together, which is how I’ve been able to advance numerous provisions that have been signed into law since 2013, including efforts to improve military mental health, combat the opioid abuse epidemic, recognize and help veterans, and keep our country safe.”
Examples of Donnelly’s successful bipartisanship include the following:
- Donnelly’s bipartisan Sexton Act, signed into law in 2014, which requires an annual mental health assessment for every servicemember, has been implemented across the Armed Forces this year, including by the Indiana National Guard.
- Donnelly has had several opioid-related efforts signed into law including provisions in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and helped enact the bipartisan 21st Century CURES Act. Through that legislation, Donnelly helped Indiana secure nearly $11 million to combat opioid abuse and heroin use.
- Donnelly’s bill, with Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH-2), and Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2), to allow the VA to share data with state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) was signed into law on November 21, 2017.
- Donnelly’s bill, with Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), to expand eligibility to include any U.S. Capitol Police employee that has been seriously injured in the line of duty was signed into law on August 4, 2017.
- Bipartisan legislation Donnelly helped shape to increase sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea, including the Donnelly-led Countering Iran’s Destabilizing Activities Act, was signed into law on August 2, 2017.
- Donnelly’s bill, with Senator John Boozman (R-AR), to approve the location for the Desert Storm War Memorial was signed into law on March 31, 2017.
- Donnelly’s bill, with Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), to designate March 29th each year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day was signed into law on March 28, 2017.
