How much legislation has the Mississippi delegation passed?

June 18, 2024

WASHINGTON (WJTV) – With 2023 being the least productive year in Congress since the Great Depression, the focus for many Americans in 2024 is what their representatives have done since being elected.

Of the 27 federal laws passed in 2023 and the 37 passed so far in 2024, none originated from the Mississippi delegation. Two members of Mississippi’s six-member delegation have not passed any legislation since being elected to Congress. More than half of the 31 House and Senate Bills that became law came from one congressman. The list below ranks Mississippi’s Congressional Delegation by the number of bills proposed since being in Congress.

Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)

Bills introduced: 386
Laws passed: 16
Percentage that became law: 4.1%
In Congress since 1995 (29 years)

The second-most senior public servant in the Mississippi Congressional Delegation passed more laws than all other lawmakers combined. During his time in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-2007, three bills he sponsored became law. Since being in the Senate since 2007, 13 bills became law.

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)

Bills introduced: 61
Laws passed: 0
Percentage that became law: 0%
In the U.S. Senate since 2018 (6 years)

The state’s first woman elected to represent Mississippi in Washington, D.C. previously served as Mississippi’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. Senator Hyde-Smith has not sponsored any legislation that has become law since being appointed to fill the seat vacated by long-time U.S. Senator Thad Cochran in 2018.

Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.)

Bills introduced: 54
Laws passed: 2
Percentage that became law: 3.7%
In the U.S. House since 2015 (9 years)

Representative Kelly sponsored and passed two pieces of legislation in 2016 and 2021 that directly targeted two cities in North Mississippi. However, the legislation just renamed USPS facilities in Oxford and Tupelo, respectively.

Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)

Bills introduced: 222
Laws passed: 10
Percentage that became law: 4.5%
In the U.S. House since 1993 (31 years)

The most senior member of the Mississippi Congressional delegation received national attention as chairman of the Jan. 6th Committee. However, the last piece of sponsored legislation by Representative Thompson that became law was passed in the 116th Congress in January 2020.

Representative Michael Guest (R-Miss.)

Bills introduced: 40
Laws passed: 3
Percentage that became law: 7.5%
In the U.S. House since 2019 (5 years)

Before going to Congress, he served as a District Attorney for Madison and Rankin Counties. Like Senator Wicker, the last sponsored legislation from Representative Guest signed by the president was in 2022.

Representative Mike Ezell (R-Miss.)

Bills introduced: 12
Laws passed: 0
Percentage that became law: 0%
In the U.S. House since 2023 (1 year)

Representative Ezell defeated embattled six-term incumbent Steven Palazzo in a primary runoff in 2022. Of his 12 bills, only a partisan concurrent resolution made it through the U.S. House, which currently has a Republican majority.