Congress on Track to be Least Productive in Modern History

The 113th Congress remains on track to be arguably the least productive Congress in modern history, according to the best available statistics on legislation that has been enacted into law.

With it about to depart on its five-week August recess, just 142 public bills have become law in this current Congress (2013-2014) – down from the 906 the 80th “Do-Nothing” Congress passed in 1947-48, and the 333 that were enacted during the Newt Gingrich-led 104th Congress of 1995-96.

At this same point in the last Congress (2011-2012) – which set the record for fewest bills passed into public law in the modern era – 151 bills had become law.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

There are two ways to read the statistics below. One, there has been a steady decline in the number of public bills that have become law. Two, the decline in the last two Congresses (the 112th and 113th) has been precipitous. Yes, there has been divided government before (the 104th, the 110th most recently), but the productivity has never been this low before.

A final note: Republicans argue that these statistics aren’t the best way to measure congressional productivity. They say their goal is often to PREVENT bad laws from being enacted. They also contend that the Senate hasn’t taken up measures the GOP-controlled House has passed. Still, here are the numbers:

• 113th Congress (2013-14): 142 public laws (as of July 31, 2014)
• 112th Congress (2011-12): 283 public laws (total)
• At this SAME point in the 112th Congress: 151 (as of July 30, 2012)
• 111th Congress (2009-10): 383
• 110th Congress (2007-2008): 460
• 109th Congress (2005-2006): 482
• 108th Congress (2003-2004): 498
• 107th (2001-2002) : 377
• 106th (1999-2000): 580
• 105th (1997-98): 394
• 104th (1995-96): 333
• 103rd (1993-94): 465
• 102nd (1991-92): 590
• 101st (1989-90): 650
• 100th (1987-88): 713
• 99th (1985-86): 663
• 98th (1983-84): 623
• 97th (1981-82): 473
• 96th (1979-80): 613
• 95th (1977-78): 633
• 94th (1975-76): 588
• 93rd (1973-74): 649
• 92nd (1971-72): 607
• 91st (1969-70): 695
• 90th (1967-68): 640
• 89th (1965-66): 810
• 88th (1963-64): 666
• 87th (1961-62): 885
• 86th (1959-60): 800
• 85th (1957-58): 936
• 84th (1955-56): 1,028
• 83rd (1953-54): 781
• 82nd (1951-52): 594
• 81st (1949-50): 921
• 80th (1947-48): 906

SOURCES: Library of Congress, Vital Statistics on Congress