Congress wraps up session amid disputed productivity claims and growing executive power

The 119th Congress concluded early, with Speaker Mike Johnson proclaiming an unprecedented legislative record despite the session enacting roughly 1,000 bills—slightly less than the 118th and far below the 1,600 passed by the 93rd Congress. Of those, about 938 originated in the House, yet around 700 are still pending in the Senate, where Republican leaders blame Democratic opposition for the gridlock. Republicans touted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, renamed the Working Families Tax Cut, as a major achievement, while their voter-ID proposal, the Save America Act, stalled in the upper chamber.

The term was also marked by the longest shutdown in U.S. history, which temporarily cut nutrition assistance for millions, and by executive actions that shuttered agencies like USAID and expanded a White House ballroom project without clear congressional approval. Additionally, Congress has largely deferred to President Donald Trump on military operations against Iran, exceeding the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day limit. As the midterm election approaches, Republicans argue their policies are delivering results, even as approval ratings for the Congress remain at historic lows.