Utah delegation's bills falter

With Democrats controlling both houses of Congress during the past two years, Utah's mostly Republican delegation had its worst combined "legislative batting average" since the Deseret News began figuring that statistic 20 years ago.

The delegation passed 45 of the 141 pieces of legislation that its members sponsored in the two-year Congress that just finished its work, for a batting average of .319 (meaning 32 percent of its legislation passed).

But much of that was fluffy, easy-to-pass resolutions to declare such things as "National Substitute Teacher Week" or "Digital Television Transition Awareness Month" — both of which were introduced and passed by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

When such resolutions are subtracted from the totals, the delegation batted just .240 (30 of 125) on tougher, more serious legislation.

Until this year, the lowest average the delegation ever had was .337 in 1991-92. The highest average it achieved was .585 overall in 1997-98 (when the GOP held both Houses, and all of Utah's members were Republican).

Some of Utah's members were bigger hitters legislatively than others this year. Hatch passed two-thirds of all bills by Utah members. At the other of the spectrum, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, passed just two bills.

The batting averages for all members this year are: Hatch, .566 (passing 30 of 53); Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, .444 (4 of 9); Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, .226 (7 of 31); Rep. Chris Cannon , R-Utah, .150 (3 of 20); and Bishop, .071 (2 of 28).

When easy-to-pass commemorative resolutions are excluded, their averages drop to .452 for Hatch (19 of 42); .375 for Bennett (3 of 8); .143 for Matheson (4 of 28); and .074 for Bishop. Cannon (who was defeated in the primary this year) did not push any resolutions.

The Deseret News figures the averages by counting all resolutions, bills and floor amendments sponsored by members, and counting how many are enacted into law — including giving credit for those that are folded into other bills. The newspaper checks with congressional offices to verify information.

For their part, delegation members dislike the batting-average measure because they say their jobs entail much more than passing legislation they sponsor — including voting on bills by others, defeating bills they dislike, fighting for funding for local projects in appropriations and helping constituents with problems. (But passing bills they sponsor is a part of their job that can be quantified.)

Also, as Scott Parker, chief of staff for Bishop, says, "Plenty of things get accomplished and enacted into laws that aren't represented as stand-alone bill and amendments."