Richert: Idaho Reps Bat 1-for-52

In 1951, Nampa native Herbert Littleton died after throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of fellow Korean War soldiers. Fifty-eight years later, the 111th Congress paid tribute to the Medal of Honor recipient by renaming Nampa’s post office in his memory. The bill, sponsored by then-Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, is now notable for one somewhat less significant reason. Idaho’s congressional delegation sponsored 52 bills in 2009 and 2010. Only this one bill passed. A 1-for-52 track record does not exactly inspire awe. But the statistic requires some context. Federal lawmakers introduced 10,788 bills and joint resolutions in 2009-10, and 344 were signed into law — roughly a 1-in-31 success rate/ Kevin Richert , Idaho Statesman. More here .

Question: Is it fair to judge Idaho’s congressional delegation by the number of bills it sponsors that become law each year?