The Senate Project

About The Senate Project™

Dating back to the 19th century, the U.S. Senate has often been referred to as “the world’s greatest deliberative body.” Building upon that tradition of often fierce partisan debate on pressing issues facing the nation, a diverse new coalition—the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate—is launching a series of Oxford-style debates between leading U.S. senators.

The goal of The Senate Project™ debate series is to reintroduce the culture of seeking common ground and consensus that has been the essence of the Senate since it was conceived in 1789. We hope it will inspire policymakers to not only make the case for their points of view, but to then work towards the example set by Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Orrin Hatch for bipartisan bridge-building.

In describing their relationship, Senator Hatch once said “When we did agree, everyone turned to get out of the way. They thought if Kennedy and Hatch can get it together, it must be good.” And Senator Kennedy once told reporters, “If you build upon that kind of understanding and respect, you can get a lot of things done.” While this debate series will showcase sharp political disagreements, it will also foster areas of common purpose moving forward.

Contacts

➤ edward m. kennedy institute

press@emkinstitute.org

➤ Bipartisan Policy center

sscully@bipartisanpolicy.org

➤ orrin g. hatch foundation

press@orrinhatchfoundation.org

Debate Series

Debate 4

The fourth installment of The Senate Project debate series was held on Monday, September 18, 2023, in Washington D.C.; between Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Marco Rubio (R-FL). The one-hour debate covered topics of China, environmental policy, and Senate reform. Those who are interested can watch here.

*Photo courtesy of Bipartisan Policy Center*

Debate 3

The third debate of The Senate Project was held on Monday, June 12, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts; between Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The one-hour discussion covered topics of foreign policy and national security. Senator Ernst and Senator Shaheen both sit on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Those interested in viewing the discussion can watch here.

Debate 2

The second debate of The Senate Project was held on Monday, August 1 at 7:30 p.m. EDT at George Washington University’s Jack Morton Auditorium. Hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the debate was between Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and moderated by CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion and streamed on C-SPAN. Stream here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?522049-1/senators-portman-murphy-participate-bipartisan-policy-center-debate

Debate 1

The Senate Project kicked off at 12 noon EDT on Monday, June 13, with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) engaging in a one-hour policy debate. The debate, moderated by FOX News Channel’s Bret Baier, was held in the Kennedy Institute’s full-size replica of the U.S. Senate Chamber and streamed on FOX Nation. Stream here: https://nation.foxnews.com/the-senate-project/

“The idea of The Senate Project was initiated in response to what is the most serious division in this country in decades. It is our hope that this effort will help demonstrate that compromise in the U.S. Senate is actually possible.”

— Bruce A. Percelay, Board Chair, Kennedy Institute

“The Senate Project series embodies the work that BPC does every day to connect lawmakers from across the political spectrum to rebuild trust and create lasting policy solutions that will improve the lives of everyday Americans.”

— Kelly Darnell, interim CEO, Bipartisan Policy Center

“The Senate Project seeks to forge compromise and consensus while still respecting substantive disagreements that exist between the two parties. Our hope is to show that bipartisanship and vigorous debate can coexist—and that civility is still possible, even in today’s hyperpolarized world.”

— Matt Sandgren, Executive Director, Orrin G. Hatch Foundation