The 118th Congress has now concluded, and the 119th is raring to go. So let’s take a look at how the two years have gone and the bills that they have passed - have our Senators and Representatives genuinely managed to enact meaningful changes to make the lives of Americans better? (spoiler alert: nah...)
Oh, The Drama!
If it’s remembered for anything, the 118th Congress will be remembered for the drama and political theatre. Throughout 2023 there was constant wrangling about the government debt ceiling and appropriations bills, which I wrote about in this post. This led to the ousting of the House speaker Kevin McCarthy by the Republicans - the first time such an attempt has been successful. What followed was much shenanigans, until the Republican conference could assemble some semblance of unity and choose a new speaker - Mike Johnson. I wrote about it all here, in case you’ve forgotten.
The Statistics
That was the ‘lowlight’ of the session, and the tale of the Congress reflects that disunity and fractiousness. With a mere 636 bills passed out of 19,316 introduced - a success rate of just 3.3% - the 118th Congress could be viewed as either extremely selective or remarkably inefficient. This dismally low passage rate raises serious questions about the functionality of our legislative process.
The 118th Congress's passage of only 636 bills (3.3% of introduced legislation) does place it among the least productive in modern history. For comparison, the 117th Congress (2021-2022) passed 742 bills, while the 116th (2019-2020) enacted 344 bills - though the latter was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Going back further, the 115th Congress (2017-2018) passed 788 bills.
This downward trend becomes even more stark when compared to earlier decades. The 106th Congress (1999-2000) passed 1,215 bills, while the 91st Congress (1969-1970) enacted an impressive 3,047 bills. What's particularly concerning about the 118th Congress's record is not just the raw numbers, but the high proportion of ceremonial legislation within those few passed bills.
The Winners
See the enacted legislation in this stakeholder page:
In what might be seen as a masterclass in avoiding substantial legislation, Congress managed to dedicate 95 bills to designating various "national days." Yes, while pressing issues like healthcare reform and climate change languished in committee, our elected officials ensured that we would not forget to celebrate National Lobster Day. Twice. Because apparently, one day wasn't enough for our crustacean friends.A further 73 designated “national months”, for when a mere day isn’t enough. “National Blueberry Month” was July, by the way, in case you forgot to mark it on your calendar. These ceremonial designations "serve to raise awareness" - though perhaps more about Congress's priorities than their intended subjects, as they made up over a quarter of all enacted legislation over the two years.
The postal service received similar ceremonial attention, with 30 successful bills dedicated to renaming post offices. While some might argue this represents a touching tribute to local heroes and historical figures, others might question whether spending legislative time deciding what to call the post office in Small Town, USA, is the best use of Congressional resources.
In total, of all the 636 pieces of legislation that passed congress, there were 431 that were merely resolutions, including 17 joint resolutions (which do tend to have more impact). But President Biden did go on to veto 12 of the joint resolutions, which sought to disapply various regulatory rules created by his administration leaving just 5 standing.
The substantive bills that did manage to pass reveal a stark contrast between ceremonial fluff and genuine necessity. The RELIEVE Act, providing critical funding for international security and addressing the fentanyl crisis, attracted significant public attention. Similarly, the Korean American VALOR Act, extending long-overdue benefits to Korean Vietnam War allies, demonstrated that Congress can occasionally address substantive issues when it chooses to do so.
The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023 addressed pressing domestic concerns, providing tax relief for disaster victims, including those affected by the East Palestine train derailment. This legislation demonstrated Congress's ability to respond to specific crises, though critics might note the relatively narrow scope compared to broader systemic challenges facing the nation.
The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act stood out for its comprehensive approach to aviation reform, including enhanced consumer protections and modernization of air traffic systems. It aimed to "improve aviation safety, efficiency, accessibility, and competitiveness through wide-ranging reforms and investments."
The Celebrities
Most telling are the readership patterns of these bills in BillTrack50 - which provides some evidence for which bills were considered important in the country at large. While ceremonial legislation barely registers in public interest, unsurprisingly, bills addressing national security, veterans' benefits, and environmental regulations consistently draw many readers. The most read of all the bills however, is a simple joint resolution declaring an official end to the Covid 19 national emergency, which became law back in October 2023. Definitely a bill we can all get behind!
The 118th Congress's record ultimately reads less like a chronicle of legislative achievement and more like a cautionary tale about institutional paralysis. When a legislature passes more bills about post office names than substantive policy reforms, it might be time to reconsider our legislative priorities. As one of our more candid AI summaries observed, "The effectiveness of Congress in addressing critical national challenges remains a subject of ongoing debate" - perhaps the politest possible way of describing this legislative theater.
About BillTrack50 – BillTrack50 offers free tools for citizens to easily research legislators and bills across all 50 states and Congress. BillTrack50 also offers professional tools to help organizations with ongoing legislative and regulatory tracking, as well as easy ways to share information both internally and with the public.