McConnell is the senior senator from Kentucky and is a Republican. He has served since Jan 3, 1985. McConnell is next up for reelection in 2020.
He is also Senate Majority Leader, a party leadership role. Party leaders focus more on setting their party’s legislative priorties than on introducing legislation.
![Photo of Sen. Mitch McConnell [R-KY]](/static/legislator-photos/300072-200px.jpeg)
Analysis
Legislative Metrics
Read our 2018 Report Card for McConnell.
Ideology–Leadership Chart
McConnell is shown as a purple triangle ▲ in our ideology-leadership chart below. Each dot is a member of the Senate positioned according to our liberal–conservative ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).
The chart is based on the bills McConnell has sponsored and cosponsored from Jan 6, 2015 to Apr 11, 2019. See full analysis methodology.
Ratings from Advocacy Organizations
Committee Membership
Mitch McConnell sits on the following committees:
- Ex Officio, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
-
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Member, Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade
- Member, Subcommittee on Nutrition, Agricultural Research, and Specialty Crops
- Member, Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
-
Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Member, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on Department of Defense
- Member, Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Member, Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Enacted Legislation
McConnell was the primary sponsor of 25 bills that were enacted. The most recent include:
- S. 32: Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument Act
- S. 2667 (115th): Hemp Farming Act of 2018
- S. 799 (114th): Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015
- S. 625 (114th): Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015
- S. 2183 (113th): A bill entitled “United States International Programming to Ukraine and Neighboring Regions”.
- S.J.Res. 29 (111th): A joint resolution approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
- S.J.Res. 17 (111th): A joint resolution approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, and for other purposes.
We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110th Congress).
Bills Sponsored
Issue Areas
McConnell sponsors bills primarily in these issue areas:
International Affairs (21%) Environmental Protection (14%) Taxation (14%) Health (14%) Public Lands and Natural Resources (14%) Armed Forces and National Security (7%) Crime and Law Enforcement (7%) Agriculture and Food (7%)
Recent Bills
Some of McConnell’s most recently sponsored bills include...
- S.Res. 151: A resolution to authorize testimony, documents, and representation in United States v. Pratersch.
- S. 1021: A bill to amend the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 with ...
- S.Res. 139: A resolution to authorize the production of records by the Permanent Subcommittee on ...
- S.Res. 107: A resolution to authorize testimony and representation in United States v. Taubert.
- S.J.Res. 8: A joint resolution recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a ...
- S.Res. 12: A resolution to constitute the majority party’s membership on certain committees for the ...
- S. 32: Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument Act
View All » | View Cosponsors »
As Senate Majority Leader, McConnell may be focused on his responsibilities other than introducing legislation, such as setting the chamber’s agenda, uniting his party, and brokering deals.
Voting Record
Key Votes
| McConnell’s Vote | Vote Description |
|---|---|
| Yea |
H.J.Res. 31: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019
Feb 14, 2019. Conference Report Agreed to 83/16.
This bill, in its final form, funded the parts of the federal government whose funding was to lapse on February 15, 2019. On December 22, 2018 the 115th Congress was unable to reach a deal to fund some federal agencies through fiscal year 2019 after ... |
| Yea |
H.R. 1892: Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018; Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018, the SUSTAIN Care Act of 2018; Family First Prevention Services Act.; Honoring Hometown ...
Feb 9, 2018. Motion Agreed to 71/28.
This bill became the vehicle for passage of funding for the federal government through March 23, 2018, to avert a government shutdown that would have occurred on February 9, 2018 had this bill not been enacted. The bill was introduced as the Honoring Hometown Heroes ... |
| Yea |
H.J.Res. 43: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the final rule submitted by Secretary of Health and Human Services relating ...
Mar 30, 2017. Joint Resolution Passed 51/50.
Joe Biden never got the opportunity to break a single 50-50 Senate tie in eight years as vice president. Mike Pence has already broken two. One from last month has since become law: a measure allowing states to withhold federal Planned Parenthood funding. (The other ... |
| Yea |
H.R. 5325: Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017
Sep 28, 2016. Bill Passed 72/26.
The Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act (H.R. 5325) is an appropriations bill which extended funding at the previous year's levels up to December 9, 2016 (10 weeks). After this, a continuing ... |
| Yea |
On the Nomination PN4: Loretta E. Lynch, of New York, to be Attorney General
Apr 23, 2015. Nomination Confirmed 56/43.
|
| Nay |
On the Nomination PN1988: Ronald Anderson Walter, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May ...
Dec 9, 2014. Nomination Confirmed 86/12.
|
| Nay |
On the Nomination PN1987: Virginia Tyler Lodge, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May ...
Dec 9, 2014. Nomination Confirmed 86/12.
|
| Yea |
H.J.Res. 124 (113th): Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015
Sep 18, 2014. Joint Resolution Passed 78/22.
|
Missed Votes
From Jan 1985 to Apr 2019, McConnell missed 84 of 11,281 roll call votes, which is 0.7%. This is better than the median of 1.4% among the lifetime records of senators currently serving. The chart below reports missed votes over time.
Primary Sources
The information on this page is originally sourced from a variety of materials, including:
- unitedstates/congress-legislators, a community project gathering congressional information
- The House and Senate websites, for committee membership and voting records
- United States Congressional Roll Call Voting Records, 1789-1990 by Howard L. Rosenthal and Keith T. Poole.
- Martis’s “The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress”, via Keith Poole’s roll call votes data set, for political party affiliation for Members of Congress from 1789 through about year 2000
- GPO Member Guide for the photo
- GovInfo.gov, for sponsored bills
