The first year of the 119th Congress delivered record-breaking Senate activity alongside historic gridlock, as lawmakers navigated President Donald Trump's return to Washington with mixed results.
By the numbers, the Senate appeared highly productive, taking 659 votes — the most in modern history, according to the Senate Majority Leader's office. Senators confirmed 417 of Trump's nominees, nearly 100 more than during the first year of his initial term, and approved his cabinet at the fastest rate in 20 years.
However, 2025 also featured unprecedented dysfunction. A 43-day government shutdown became the longest in American history, highlighting the challenges facing lawmakers despite Republican control of both chambers and the White House.
"We still have had one of the most consequential congresses in the great history of this extraordinary nation," House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Despite Johnson's assessment, this Congress ranks among the least productive in history, sending just 70 bills to Trump's desk for signature in its first year. The previous Congress passed 274 bills over two years — a number that was already considered the lowest in decades.
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With another year remaining in the congressional term, lawmakers face limited time in Washington as many prepare for midterm campaigns. Several members have announced they won't seek reelection.
Some departing members are seeking higher office, while others cite desires for generational change or fatigue from partisan battles. Notably, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously a vocal Trump ally, announced her resignation earlier this year with plans to leave before her term ends in the first week of the new year.
"With almost one year into our majority, the legislature has been mostly sidelined," Greene said.
The limited legislative progress proves particularly striking given Republican control of the House, Senate and White House — a political trifecta that typically enables significant policy advancement. The failure to address rising healthcare costs exemplifies missed opportunities during this period of unified government control.
Much of the congressional inaction stems from the Senate's filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes for most legislation to pass — 10 more than simple majority rule. Trump has endorsed eliminating the filibuster to advance his agenda without Democratic negotiations, but Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, have repeatedly rejected the president's position.
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This resistance represents a rare instance of pushback from a Republican Congress that has largely sought to accommodate Trump's preferences.
