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"Congress is broken...Congress doesn't work." These beliefs have become so embedded in our society that it seems that most Americans have lost hope in an institution that seems ineffective, unresponsive, and unable to address the challenges America faces. In a national survey, Americans were asked if they believe that most members of Congress care what their constituents think. Only 21% of respondents agreed with that statement. The public sees only examples of ineptitude, petty partisan politics, and the occasional scandal on Capitol Hill.

But what if Americans got a glimpse of a different Congress? Americans' views might change if they saw examples of Members of Congress employing innovative practices to engage with citizens, or congressional offices employing private sector business practices to improve their operations. And what would other lawmakers do if they also saw how their colleagues enhanced their operations and citizen engagement?

In this spirit, CMF created a distinctive honors program – the Democracy Awards – to recognize non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices and by Members of Congress.

 Click Here to See the 2024 Democracy Awards Finalists

Democracy Awards recognize congressional offices for their achievements in the following categories.

  • Constituent Service – Recognizes offices for their outstanding practices or achievements acting as ombudsmen with the federal government or responding to constituent requests/inquiries.

  • "Life in Congress" Workplace Environment – Recognizes offices that have established both formal policies and informal cultures that enhance the work-life fit and professional development of their staffs.

  • Constituent Accountability and Accessibility – Recognizes offices that hold themselves accountable to their constituents by providing clear and relevant information on their work and publicly acknowledge metrics for their performance.

  • Innovation and Modernization – Recognizes offices employing originality or creativity in their constituent interactions, communications, or office operations, as well as intentional efforts to modernize the institution of Congress.

  • Lifetime Achievement – Recognizes four individuals (two Members and two staffers) for their decades of service to Congress.

The Democracy Awards are presented to congressional offices, allowing staff to share in the credit for the achievement and recognizing the reality that a degree of success for Members of Congress is due to the employees they hire and manage. By creating an awards system, CMF seeks to:

  • Recognize and applaud legislators and staff who truly deserve acknowledgment for their best practices in the service of the Congress.

  • Provide examples for congressional colleagues to emulate, thereby enhancing the entire institution.

  • Enhance and improve public understanding and trust in Congress – if only a tiny bit, demonstrating that Congress can work.

Life in Congress - Workplace Environment Finalists (2024)

Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT)

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA)

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT)

In the office of Representative Burgess Owens, fostering a positive workplace environment is a top priority, and the office has implemented several policies and practices to promote collaboration, camaraderie, and effective communication among staff. Staff participate in annual staff retreats, which provide an opportunity for the entire team to come together, bond, and focus on enhancing their ability to serve constituents effectively. During these retreats, the office invites external speakers, such as senior staffers from other congressional offices, to share their insights and experiences with their team. These sessions offer valuable perspectives and lessons learned from others in the field. The office has worked hard to cultivate a culture of self-improvement. Managers and staff work collaboratively to set clear goals. If shortcomings are identified, they are dealt with immediately, with no recriminations or hard feelings. This also breeds an attitude that taking risks are not only acceptable, but encouraged, resulting in new ideas for the office mission and operations. Through their collaborative approach and supportive culture, the office strives to create an environment where every staff member feels valued, empowered, and inspired to make meaningful contributions to our mission of serving the people of Utah's 4th District.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

The office of Representative Don Bacon operates with the understanding that if you put your people first and empower them, they will put the mission first. Their office offers benefits including a flexible telework policy, compensatory time off, and three office- sanctioned fitness breaks per week. The office has the best staff retention rate and the smallest turnover index number in the entire Nebraska delegation. The ability to focus on the mission in an open door and collaborative environment is one of the primary reasons that the Congressman has been recognized by the Center for Effective Lawmaking as the most effective Republican House Member in the last congress, as well as being a previous Democracy Award winner for the best constituent services. At any given point, there are almost always staff members enrolled in educational programs at the graduate level. In addition, the office frequently helps staff members get accepted into various fellowship programs. With a robust intern program, the office staff work with interns on actual legislative matters and the program also includes multiple one-day field trips hosted by the Chief of Staff to locations such as the National War College and Annapolis for the purposes of gaining a broader understanding of the history of American government and its various departments.

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA)

The office of Representative Seth Moulton's workplace culture originates from the Member himself, or as he likes staff to refer to him: Seth. The Member built his team's culture on General Stan McChrystal's book Team of Teams, and it is required reading for every new hire. From this book came the management style their team uses, where they operate as a network with a shared consciousness, built on trust and respect, and empowered execution, meaning that anyone in the organization can take action without needing approval as long as they provide all contextual information to leaders. The office has a budget line-item for individual professional development, such as a toastmasters membership or DEI training. If the budget isn't used, the office uses it for all-team training, and most recently, they participated in a full-day public speaking course. The office has a designated "ministry of fun," chaired by two volunteers: one from the DC team and one from the District Office. The office has done a variety of activities including trivia, Zumba, guided meditation with a Buddhist monk, wiffle ball, and boat rides. The office uses Donut, an app that schedules random pairs of staff for a 'coffee' meeting, which offers the chance for members of different teams to connect with staff they may not work as closely with, such as a healthcare policy staffer in DC and a regional director focusing on transportation and economic development in the District. The office also does staff retreats twice per year, switching off between DC and the District Office. Additionally, the leadership team circulates quarterly surveys to get feedback on how they're doing as an office. Lastly, the office implemented a new process of writing 'dear future intern' letters as part of interns' exit process. The goal is for new interns to learn from the class before them, and feel connected to other interns, all while learning what worked for them, and what the others wish they knew on their first day/week/month. None of this is surprising, as the Moulton office has previously won Democracy Awards in all three other categories.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

Senator Tammy Duckworth has a saying she repeats to her team: "what's the point in working for a Senator's office if you can't work to improve things you care about?" She's passionate about hiring staff with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences because she truly values hearing from as many perspectives as possible. She also knows that if her staff succeeds, the State of Illinois and her constituents will benefit as well. To that end, the office hosts yearly staff retreats, conducts quarterly check ins for staff to connect and communicate with their supervisors, and runs a year-long mentorship program that matches new staff with a longer-tenured employee for confidential advice and guidance as well as provides formal trainings and monthly group check-ins. The office boasts a "passion projects" initiative that encourages staffers to spend time on projects they care deeply about even if those projects are outside of their work portfolio, and successful past passion projects have included writing and introducing legislation, drafting oversight letters, supporting grant applications and penning op-eds for the Senator. Additionally, the office has a dedicated staff member who leads a DEIA committee that hosts "lunch and learns" with guest speakers and helps ensure that the office and the Senator herself are approaching their work through a DEIA lens. As a mother to two young girls and someone deeply cognizant of the competing pressures caregivers in the workforce face, the Senator also works hard to make sure that staff who are caregivers for family members feel fully supported by her office.
 

Innovation and Modernization Finalists (2024)

Rep. Don Davis (D-NC)

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA)

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Rep. Don Davis (D-NC)

The office of Representative Don Davis understands innovation and modernization are not the result of a single effort but a continuous practice. . To this end, the team remains committed to exploring ways to enhance their office to serve constituents significantly through forward-thinking strategies. For example, the office established a Constituent Services Excellence Committee, which includes representatives from all departments, including their Director of Military, Veterans Affairs, and Hispanic Outreach, as well as the Staff Assistant for the Teen and Young Professional Mentoring and Leadership Advisory Council. The Committee is tasked with meeting, reviewing, and making recommendations to the entire staff on elevating and maintaining exceptional service levels and promoting innovation and modernization. The Committee also designated a staff member as the Congressional Modernization Representative to help advance office and congressional modernization. Further, the office uses web-based tools like Microsoft Bookings for scheduling constituent appointments. These tools support initiatives like the Veterans History Project for the Library of Congress to ensure NC-01 veterans' stories are gathered and preserved for future generations. Airtable software organizes appropriations requests, including details such as the requester, funding amount, project description, and status updates. The office regularly holds Tele-Town Hall meetings and webinars, leveraging virtual platforms for constituent engagement and weekly staff meetings. To ensure clarity and precision in communication, all team members use Grammarly.com across all forms of correspondence.

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA)

Now in her second term, Representative Sara Jacobs has made "Privacy, Innovation, and Modernization" one of the key policy pillars of her office. That concept covers legislative work on data privacy and emerging technologies but also on how to modernize Congress itself. She is an original member of the Fix Congress Caucus and meets regularly with members of both parties to discuss the ways to improve the institution. In a simple example, Rep. Jacobs urged House Administration Committee Chairman Brian Steil to install a carpet in the tunnel between the House Office Buildings and the Capitol, so that people wearing high heels won't slip and fall – a frequent occurrence before the carpet was installed. Additionally, the office also recently partnered with Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna's office to introduce a resolution that would amend House rules to allow for Members of Congress to vote by proxy for six weeks after giving birth. Internally Jacobs' office created a quarterly "Jacobs Innovation Awards" competition – incentivizing innovative thinking from staff and rewarding winners with additional PTO days to use as they see fit. The office aims to use social media to communicate with and hear directly from constituents. They have also done Instagram and Facebook Lives, with the Congresswoman answering real-time questions on current events or policies, and have plans to do "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) on X, Facebook, and Threads. The office regularly uses their social media platforms to solicit feedback and participation in their office programs internships, casework assistance, art competitions, and soon, for nominations for their new CA-51 Outstanding Youth Series.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

The office of Senator Marco Rubio takes pride in their ability to innovate. They have already set themselves apart by adopting a completely paperless system and revolutionizing their management process. The office has implemented a constituent survey to get feedback on each case handled by staff members, providing crucial feedback to help the office improve their service operations. In 2023, the office restructured and revitalized their internship program to align with the Senator's mission of fostering public service interest and equipping future leaders with essential skills, knowledge, and tools. Their program boasts a comprehensive one-day orientation that includes a wide range of presentations, seminars, and training sessions delivered in close collaboration with sub-departments. Additionally, the office has crafted a Senior Fellows Program designed to meet the unique needs of older adults. This program provides the intergenerational exchange of information, skills, and resources between fellows and students and facilitates valuable cross-training. By developing a specialized consent form, coordinating with local passport offices, and prioritizing emergency travel, the office has been successful in handling several thousands of passport-related cases during a State Department backlog. They quickly established internal procedures to handle the unprecedented volume of passport requests. In 2021, they worked on 3,442 passport-related cases, 3,019 in 2022, and 6,526 in 2023, achieving success rates of 92%, 90%, and 90%, respectively. Lastly, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, staff immediately set up tents and tables in two affected counties at separate locations simultaneously to provide essential services to those in need. In collaboration with non-profit organizations, staff helped 2,450 families receive 21 pallets of food and bottled water and FEMA registration assistance in just three days.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Senator Lisa Murkowski has championed federal investment to Alaska to help build the state's infrastructure. Because some communities in Alaska can only be accessed by plane or boat, the Murkowski website is crucial for maintaining communication with constituents across the state. Using it as a tool to help Alaskans have a voice in the projects they want funded has been one of the Senator's greatest tools in helping constituents. The website provides specific guidance as well as a portal for incoming appropriations requests so that Alaskans are able to submit proposals for Congressionally Directed Spending requests . The website features an interactive map, offering the public a unique window into federal spending in the state. Since the pandemic, the office has had to improvise to find new ways to talk to constituents. One of the most successful methods developed was speaking directly to groups through the use of short, 3-5 minute videos using conference studios that are equipped with teleprompters. The feedback from groups has been so positive that they developed their own studio in their Anchorage office, complete with a teleprompter and microphones, so that they can shoot scripts on short notice while in state. Additionally, the office sends staffers to the state during the summer to create pop-up offices, which are advertised on local radio and media.

 

Constituent Service Finalists (2024)

Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT)

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV)

Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA)

Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT)

Whether through the weekly e-newsletter, town halls, or mobile office hours, the office of Representative Blake Moore prides itself on its efficient operations and effective casework management. With a 27-page casework manual accessible to all members of the team, the office maintains efficiency through communicating casework updates in the team's weekly internal all-staff report. The team also reviews casework procedures with all new staff during the onboarding process so every staff member understands how to manage caseload and ways to increase efficiency while maintaining quality. Rep. Moore hosts regular tele-town halls (every 1-2 months) to call constituents, provide legislative updates, and take questions. Rep. Moore also hosts a series of in-person town halls - so far in 2024, he's hosted 9 - which is a great way for the office to hear constituent success stories and learn how they can better assist constituents. Additionally, the office conducts routine mobile office hours - already 5 this year - to ensure individuals have access to their congressional office and services in their own communities. Recently, the office worked with the Utah delegation and the State Department to hold the largest on-site passport acceptance event in State Department history with five locations in five days around the state. In 2023, the office conducted 4,480 meetings with constituents and stakeholders, completed 1,283 casework cases, held 11 virtual and in-person town halls, sent 45 weekly e-newsletters, and hosted 9 mobile office hours.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

The office of Rep. Gus Bilirakis cultivates a culture of excellence and continuous improvement supported by formal procedures. These practices include: separate intake and casework manuals that outline constituent response time of 24 hours; utilizing a shared intake drive that is checked by five staff members throughout the day to expedite processing; legislative staff meeting weekly with district staff to identify trends; and tracking constituent feedback received through phone, letters, emails, outreach contact and satisfaction survey results. The office conducts at least 1 tele-town hall a month, usually on targeted topics. They are always looking for new ways to engage, including a "speed dating" concept where the Member takes five minutes to talk to a constituent and then meets the next person. Additionally, the team has five active advisory boards that are available to anyone in their community, with those advisory groups providing regular feedback to their outreach team about the needs of the community. For example, input from the Veterans Advisory Committee recently resulted in the creation of 15 policy recommendations to improve veterans' care and services. This information has been shared with the House Veteran Affairs Committee to inform pending legislation. Other key metrics of the office's success include: a 24-hour response time for initiating casework, a 48- hour maximum response time for responding to emails, with more than 13,000 successfully resolved individual cases and 725,886 responses to correspondence since 2018.

Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV)

The office of Representative Susie Lee features comprehensive policies and practices crafted to ensure that exceptional constituent service is not just a goal but a routine practice for their team. For new casework staff hires, the office has developed a comprehensive "newcomer's" binder, containing all office policies, guidelines, and contingency plans related to casework. The binder is continuously updated with new guidelines and best practices, ensuring that every staff member has access to the information they need to effectively assist constituents. The Casework Manager leads weekly meetings with casework staff to discuss trends and ensure that caseworkers have manageable caseloads and are not experiencing burnout. These meetings cover topics such as dealing with sensitive cases, specific federal agency requirements, and office standards. After the conclusion of every case, the office solicits feedback from constituents through electronic surveys to evaluate the office's service and identify areas for improvement. The office's "Casework Celebration Channel" on Microsoft Teams allows staff to share immediate favorable results, which are monitored by staff and shared on social media platforms such as Facebook and X to promote positive results. The office has procedures in place to funnel favorable casework results to Rep. Lee so she can personnally connect with constituents. This personal touch has been highly valued by constituents and has strengthened the office's relationships within the community.

Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA)

From the beginning of her time in office, Representative Lucy McBath has inculcated in her staff a sense of shared responsibility for constituent service. Every member of the district staff handles casework, which the office feels affirms both internally and externally that serving constituents is the office's number one goal. This focus on constituent services has yielded positive outcomes that have garnered more than 6 million views on social media and been documented in the New York Times.

The office has a "living casework intake guide" that's altered at least every quarter as agency processes change and constituent needs fluctuate. The guide includes every step of creating a new case and all questions that need to be asked at intake for each agency with which the office interacts. For every new staffer or intern, the office has a three-day training regimen led by the District Director and Constituent Services Director that includes casework, phone communication, field representation, event management, and office operations. Built into their first week is open time to meet with each district staffer and learn about their background and current work. The District Director does weekly check-ins with every staff member, and the Constituent Services Director monitors all case portfolios on a nearly-daily basis to make sure all communication to agencies and constituents is done in a timely, efficient, and thoughtful manner.

Since coming to Congress in 2019, Rep. McBath's constituent services program has saved constituents over $26 million and completed more than 11,000 cases. Rep. McBath conducts both in-person and telephone town halls, as well as mobile office hours at libraries throughout the district. Using Eventbrite to track RSVPs for events allows the office to yield emails for the newsletter, which is sent every Saturday morning. Beyond standard casework intake channels, the office also provides nontraditional constituent services opportunities, such as mobile office hours, federal agency support events, and multilingual outreach materials.

 

Constituent Accountability and Accessibility Finalists (2024)

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

The office of Rep. Gus Bilirakis believes the best ideas come from those he serves and as such has embedded policies and practices throughout his office to maximize constituent engagement. All aspects of office operations revolve around a constituent-centered approach to public service. The office has cultivated a culture of excellence and continuous improvement that is supported by formal procedures. For example: intake and casework manuals that outline constituent response time of 24 hours; an organizational structure utilizing a shared intake drive that is checked by five intake staff members throughout the day to expedite processing; and routine weekly meetings between the legislative staff and district staff to identify trends in casework and in constituent feedback received through phone, letters, emails, outreach contact and survey results. The team actively seeks opportunities to find solutions through legislative action on issues that stem from constituent trends, often resulting in Dear Colleague letters, testimony at legislative hearings, and formal legislation. The Congressman's vote record is displayed on his website and the rationale for each vote is explained in his weekly newsletter. In total, the Congressman held approximately 100 in-person or tele-townhall meetings in 2023. Congressman Bilirakis hosts one tele-townhall each month during which he calls 100,000 constituents in the district.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

The office of Rep. Ayanna Pressley aims to practice "cooperative governing" and "keeping those closest to the pain closest to the power." This model of governing informs every interaction that the office has with constituents. Rep. Pressley leverages every congressional tool available to communicate important updates to her constituents, including a periodical newsletter with updates on her legislative work and upcoming events, and using social media platforms and press interviews to share federal resources. The office ensures that videos are captioned and photos include "alt-text" for constituents with hearing and visual impairments, and it is standard practice to use CART or live ASL translation for public community events. In 2023, Congresswoman Pressley held 4 in-person town halls, quarterly Traditional Telephone town halls, and at least 50 virtual town hall/round table or community meetings. Their office was also one of the first to use direct to camera videos and engaging social media graphics to update constituents on legislation, resources, and solicit feedback. In addition, all staff are trained on how to identify casework challenges or incoming letters that could be addressed through longer-term legislation, amendments, or appropriations requests. Finally, the office has inculcated into staff a mentality to look for and create access to constituents where barriers could exist. This includes language barriers, physically accessibility issues, even providing child care services at events so parents can attend.

Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)

Since Rep. Sean Casten was elected in 2019, he's held over 70 town halls, averaging one per month. The Congressman does not shy away from controversial issues, often hosting town halls dedicated to topics such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the Trump impeachment, and government shutdowns. Town halls are live streamed, questions are not screened, and often there are guest speakers present, such as experts on housing or tax policy. The office's guiding policy is that their obligation to meet constituents where they are, and in addition to town halls, the office is active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, as well as through Q&As on Instagram and an AMA on Reddit. Through subscriber surveys, the office gauges specific information so that the information sent to constituents is tailored to their interests. During the weekly "SC Callback," Rep. Casten and staff regularly call back constituents to discuss their comments/concerns/questions.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

The office of Sen. Chuck Grassley follows a standard set by the Senator himself: constituents are the top priority. To hold themselves accountable, a twice-daily report goes out to the staff and Senator Grassley detailing the status of responses to constituent messages awaiting drafting or approval. To make sure Iowans' opinions on important issues are closely tracked, staff meet weekly with supervisors and the Senator to discuss message trends and account for the status of their responses. While in Washington, Senator Grassley sets aside at least eight 15-minute meetings each day for policy meetings with Iowans, in addition to meeting with school groups visiting their nation's capital. On an average week in Washington, Senator Grassley also sets aside nearly three hours to speak with local newspapers, radio stations, agriculture reporters and television stations, during which he discusses one news-of-the-day topic then opens the floor for questions. Taking the Senator's lead, staff ensure they are constantly accessible to Iowans. Iowans who visit Washington are always able to meet with a member of Grassley's staff, with or without an appointment. The state staff also hold traveling office hours in all of Iowa's 99 counties throughout the year as another way to keep in touch with Iowans across the state. Senator Grassley's most famous practice of accessibility is his annual commitment to holding at least one question-and-answer session in each of Iowa's 99 counties, the "Full Grassley," as this practice has become known. It has set the gold standard for constituent accessibility and representative government – so much so, that it's often emulated by presidential candidates, public officials, and other members of Congress.

 

Lifetime Achievement Winners - Members (2024)

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)2024 mchenry da

Congressman Patrick McHenry stands out as a representative of dedicated leadership and unwavering commitment to the people of North Carolina. With decades of service, his tenure has been defined by tireless advocacy and a steadfast dedication to his constituents' well-being, which makes him a deserving recipient of the Congressional Management Foundation Democracy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In the 118th Congress, Congressman McHenry assumed the role of Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a committee he has served on since his initial election to Congress. His leadership on the committee has been instrumental in crafting policies that expand access to banking services and credit for American families and small businesses, driving economic growth and prosperity.

Prior to his chairmanship, Congressman McHenry held several key leadership positions, including Republican Leader and Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. His tenure as Chief Deputy Whip saw him playing a crucial role in advancing the policy agenda of the House Republican Conference, exemplifying his ability to build consensus and deliver tangible results for the American people.

Congressman McHenry's legislative work is marked by a diverse range of achievements aimed at fostering economic growth, innovation, and entrepreneurship. From his instrumental role in passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to the groundbreaking legislation on startup investing and equity-based crowdfunding, he has consistently championed policies that empower individuals and businesses to thrive. Congressman McHenry has been a passionate advocate for disruptive finance solutions, including fintech, aimed at expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs and small businesses. His commitment to fiscal responsibility has made him a leading voice in the conservative movement and a tireless advocate for taxpayers' rights.

Beyond his legislative accomplishments, Congressman McHenry's dedication to serving those who have served our country is noteworthy. His tireless advocacy for veterans' healthcare and unwavering support for the men and women of the armed forces have earned him widespread respect and admiration.

Above all, Congressman McHenry remains deeply connected to the people he represents, prioritizing constituent service and ensuring that the voices of North Carolinians are heard in the Capitol. In celebrating Congressman Patrick McHenry's remarkable contributions to North Carolina and American democracy, we honor not only his achievements but also his enduring commitment to the values of service, integrity, and leadership.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)2024 stabenow sm da

Senator Debbie Stabenow stands out for her tenure and the profound impact she has had on her constituents. As a well-deserved recipient of the Congressional Management Foundation Democracy Award for Lifetime Achievement, it's easy to see her remarkable journey driven by her steadfast commitment to public service and the betterment of people's lives.

Senator Stabenow is driven by a relentless work ethic and guided by a profound commitment to improving the lives of others. As the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Michigan, she has paved the way for future generations of women in politics. Her ascent was not merely a personal triumph but a triumph for representation in government. Throughout her distinguished career, Senator Stabenow has been a steadfast advocate for the people of Michigan, earning a reputation for her ability to bridge partisan divides. Her leadership in protecting the Great Lakes, a vital natural resource, is exemplary. Through landmark programs she authored, she has spearheaded efforts to safeguard our environment and preserve the Michigan way of life for generations to come.

As chair of the influential Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, her stewardship has reshaped our nation's food and farm policy. Her vision for American agriculture goes beyond traditional notions, which embraces sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience in the face of climate change. Senator Stabenow's advocacy has led to landmark programs, such as the first specialty crop title in Farm Bill history, which bolsters Michigan's diverse agricultural landscape, from fruits and vegetables to hops and horticulture. Her leadership in the clean energy economy has also positioned Michigan as a global leader, driving innovation and creating opportunities.

Healthcare reform has also been a cornerstone of Senator Stabenow's legislative agenda. As a key architect of the Affordable Care Act, she has fought tirelessly to expand access to quality healthcare and lower prescription drug costs. Her bipartisan efforts, such as the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act, represent a radical shift in how we address behavioral health services and the complex challenges facing our healthcare system.

Beyond her legislative accomplishments, Senator Stabenow's legacy is defined by her unwavering commitment to constituent service. Her office has become synonymous with responsiveness, empathy, and effectiveness—traits that have earned her the trust and admiration of Michiganders from all walks of life.

As we honor Senator Debbie Stabenow with the Democracy Award for Lifetime Achievement, we also pay tribute to her unwavering commitment to democratic values and the well-being of all Americans. Her legacy serves as a guiding light for future leaders, reminding us of the transformative power of public service and the enduring promise of American democracy.

 
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