What does the term "bipartisan" refer to?

The term "bipartisan" specifically refers to the involvement of agreement or cooperation between two political parties. In the context of the U.S. political system, this often occurs when members of both major political parties—the Democratic and Republican parties—come together to support legislation or policies, even when they may have fundamentally different ideologies. Bipartisanship is seen as a way to foster compromise and promote effective governance, particularly in a divided political landscape where one party may not have enough votes to pass legislation on its own.

This cooperation is essential for addressing significant issues that require broad support to implement change, and it exemplifies the democratic process of negotiation and compromise. The concept of bipartisanship is foundational in legislative processes, as it encourages collaboration across party lines and aims to find common ground for the benefit of the public.