The Senate Project

“Bipartisanship isn’t an option anymore; it is a requirement. The American people have divided responsibility for leadership right down the middle.”

Tom Daschle

In Search of Common Ground

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 established 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.

Debate Series

Installment 5

The fifth installment of The Senate Project was held on
Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the Kennedy Institute in |
Boston, Massachusetts; between Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The Senators debated
various policy issues, hosted at the Kennedy Institute’s
full-size replica of the U.S. Senate Chamber.

The discussion aired on C-SPAN Networks on Tuesday, July 2nd
at 8pm ET and is available for streaming at C-SPAN.org and will
be featured on Sirius XM POTUS Channel 124.

Stream Here

Installment 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.

Stream Here

Installment 3

The third installment of The Senate Project series, featuring Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) was hosted inside the Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s one-of-a-kind full-scale replica of the Senate chambers. In a conversation moderated by FOX News Channel’s Bret Baier and streamed live on FOX Nation, the two Senators discussed a wide range of foreign policy topics, including the war in Ukraine, the Middle East and Iran sanctions, and the fentanyl crisis. Ernst and Shaheen both sit on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Streamed on FOX Nation.

Stream Here:

Installment 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:

Installment 1

The Senate Project kicked off on June 13, 2022 inside the Kennedy Institute’s replica of the Senate Chamber with Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Streamed by Fox Nation and moderated by Brett Baier, the senators discussed the economy, and issues that are top-of-mind such as gas prices, inflation, healthcare, Social Security, immigration, and guns.

Stream Here:

“The Senate Project series seeks a thoughtful debate and honest discussion on some of America’s leading issues, and when possible, areas of comity.”

THOMAS A. DASCHLE
CO-FOUNDER, BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER

“By facilitating these robust discussions between senators from different backgrounds and perspectives, we hope to inspire a new generation of lawmakers to prioritize collaboration and the common good over partisan divide.”

MATT SANDGREN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ORRIN G. HATCH FOUNDATION