Institute for Legislative Analysis

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The Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA) is an American political research organization which "serves as a data and policy hub for right-of-center organizations" and analyzes legislation introduced in the US Congress and the 50 state legislatures.^[1] The ILA publishes the most comprehensive congressional scorecard which provides "much greater ability to pinpoint exactly where lawmakers stand across the full spectrum of issues," through the collection of roughly 40,000 votes cast by members of congress each year.^[2][3] The ILA constructs scorecards for other national conservative and libertarian organizations through its Limited Government Index (LGI), which is a platform containing bill analyses and lawmaker vote data to "help the groups more effectively lobby lawmakers and deploy their activists".^[4][5]

History[edit]

"The ILA was launched by former employees of the American Conservative Union (ACU), also known as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)."^[6] Ryan McGowan, Fred McGrath and Francis T. Finnegan III are the original architects of the nation's first 50-state comprehensive scorecard, which they spent nearly a decade constructing while at the ACU.^[7][8][9] The ILA was created to equip other national liberty-minded groups with scorecards "and craft even more robust tools to sharpen the teeth of political-watchdog organizations."^[10]

Limited Government Index[edit]

"Unlike the vast majority of scorecards that are based on a particular political party or philosophy (which tend to evolve overtime), the LGI provides a non-partisan measurement that is based on the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution."^[11] The ILA grades all elected officials on a 100-point scale, with a 0% score representing a big government voting record and a 100% score a limited government voting record.^[12]

Scorecard usage[edit]

ILA's ratings are frequently cited by lawmakers and campaigns to highlight vote records to constituents and voters.^[13][14][15] Each year the ILA holds a congressional award event which is attended by 50 members of congress who receive recognition for earning the highest ratings on the Limited Government Index.^[16][17]

References[edit]