Fact check: Bernie Sanders has had zero legislative accomplishments during his tenure in the senate

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Bernie Sanders has "zero legislative accomplishments" is demonstrably false based on multiple sources. Specifically:

• Sanders has sponsored 15 concurrent resolutions and 15 Senate resolutions, with 218 of his co-sponsored bills becoming law ^[1]
• He has successfully passed at least 3 bills into law as primary sponsor, though some estimates put this number as high as seven ^[2]
• He earned the nickname "Amendment King" from Rolling Stone for passing more roll-call amendments than any other congressman since 1995 ^[1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual points need to be considered:

• While Sanders' direct bill-to-law conversion rate is low at 0.7% of 421 sponsored bills ^[3], his effectiveness has varied significantly over time
• In 2013, he ranked near the top for getting bills signed into law ^[4]
• He has demonstrated bipartisan cooperation, notably working with Republican Senator John McCain on VA funding ^[4]
• His legislative impact extends beyond direct bill sponsorship, including:
• Sponsoring over 500 amendments to bills ^[1]
• Securing $100 million in funding for community health centers
• Establishing provisions for veterans' mental health services ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to deliberately ignore or misrepresent Sanders' record in several ways:

• It fails to acknowledge the difference between direct bill sponsorship and other forms of legislative influence
• The statement overlooks Sanders' role in shifting political discourse and mainstreaming left-wing ideas ^[5]
• While some may criticize his pragmatic effectiveness, the Center for Effective Lawmaking shows he "met expectations" in some congressional sessions ^[4]
• The statement seems designed to diminish Sanders' legislative impact by focusing solely on directly sponsored bills while ignoring his substantial record of amendments and co-sponsorships ^{[1] [1]}

Those who benefit from promoting this narrative might include:

• Political opponents seeking to undermine Sanders' reputation as an effective legislator
• Critics of progressive policies who want to discourage support for similar political approaches
• Traditional establishment politicians who prefer incremental rather than transformative legislative approaches