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So Far, the 119th Congress Is Among the Least Productive of the Past 40 Years

Pew Research Center · Drew DeSilver · last updated

Congress has many roles in the U.S. political system, including aiding constituents, approving presidential nominees and overseeing the executive branch. Its main job, however, is passing laws – something congresspeople have done a lot less of in recent years.

The 119th Congress has enacted 121 laws since it convened in January 2025. That’s the second fewest of any Congress in the past four decades, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. Only the 118th Congress had enacted fewer laws (106) by this point in its two-year term.ss in the past four decades.

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