November 15, 2017 Press Releases

Results for America Statement on House Passage of Ryan-Murray Evidence Bill

Bipartisan Legislation Would Enact Key Recommendations of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking

WASHINGTON – Results for America (RFA) issued the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (H.R. 4174, S. 2046), bipartisan legislation sponsored by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) that would implement key recommendations in the final report of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking:

“The House’s unanimous vote is a victory for every American who believes that we can have more efficient, more effective government by measuring results and focusing on what works,” CEO and Co-Founder Michele Jolin said.

“We commend Speaker Ryan, Senator Murray and the other bipartisan sponsors of this bill, which will help build evidence about the federally-funded practices, policies and programs that deliver the best results. By ensuring that each federal agency has a Chief Evaluation Officer, an evaluation policy and evidence-building plans, we can maximize the impact of public investments.

“We urge the Senate to swiftly pass the Ryan-Murray bill. During a time of gridlock and hyper-partisanship, this bipartisan bill could help restore the public’s faith in the ability of both parties to work together to address our toughest challenges.”

The bill was introduced on October 31 by Speaker Ryan and Senator Murray, and unanimously approved by the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on November 2. Original co-sponsors of the bill include House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC), U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX), and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI). The text of the bill can be found here, and a summary can be found here.

The legislation included several recommendations that RFA promoted through testimony, annual federal Invest in What Works Indexes, and Invest in What Works Coalition letters – including proposals to require a Chief Evaluation Officer, an evaluation policy and evidence-building plans at each federal agency. This week, RFA released a letter signed by 109 bipartisan groups and leaders endorsing the Ryan-Murray bill.

The legislation builds on the final report of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking, which was developed over 15 months and agreed to unanimously by the members of the Commission. RFA was a strong supporter of S.991, the Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act — sponsored by Speaker Ryan and Senator Murray and signed into law by President Obama — which created the Commission.

About Results for America
Results for America is helping decision-makers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that when policymakers make decisions, they start by seeking the best evidence and data available, then use what they find to get better results.

Contact: Zachary Coile [email protected]

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