Welch Tops List of Most Effective Lawmakers after Session Focused on Affordability and Opportunity

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – An independent, bipartisan analysis has named House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch as one of the most effective lawmakers in Illinois. Welch topped the Center for Effective Lawmaking’s rankings after a year focused on affordability, opportunity, and counteracting the chaos coming from Washington.

“Effective lawmaking is about meeting the needs of working people, seniors, and people in need. That's why I'm working every day to help people make ends meet, to bring down costs, and to make life a little easier,” Welch said.

Vanderbilt University’s Center for Effective Lawmaking ranked Welch as the top House lawmaker in Illinois, after analyzing legislative records to identify leaders who have consistently ranked highly across multiple sessions and have consistently delivered results.

During a transformative legislative session, Welch led House Democrats’ efforts to deliver a fiscally and socially responsible budget that makes major investments in healthcare, nutrition assistance, and other resources the Trump Administration is trying to slash. The budget has already been recognized by financial watchdogs, as Illinois earned its tenth credit rating upgrade in October.

Bringing business, labor, and utility companies together, Welch also delivered a major home energy affordability package which will begin to bring down utility costs both immediately and in the long term.

Welch also passed a reform package to fund and strengthen public transit, and new protections to stop unconstitutional raids and racial profiling targeting people of all backgrounds.