Political science research from Georgetown University found that liberal female legislators cosponsored, introduced, and passed more bills than their male counterparts. In 2009, the study found the average female legislator had 2.31 of her bills enacted, compared with male legislators who saw just 1.57 of their bills enacted.
The same research found that among liberal-leaning legislators, women cosponsored an average of 10.6 bills concerning women's health, compared with 5.3 from liberal male legislators.
Another study found female legislators on average send more funds back to their districts than their male counterparts. Districts represented by women received $49 million more annually, on average, compared to male-represented districts.
One reason women legislators tend to be more productive and fight harder on behalf of their constituents is that they often face more hurdles due to sexism and other gendered disadvantages on the campaign trail, and in life. As a result, women legislators are often more skilled, more qualified, and all-around more ambitious than their male counterparts.
Of course, a reality of the split Congress is that progressive bills introduced by women lawmakers will likely be rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate, or vetoed by President Trump. But nonetheless, legislation and advocacy that advances crucial, oft-neglected progressive issues is important for the conversation, awareness, and progress that stems from such efforts.
Image Source: Getty / Chip Somodevilla