The current 119th Congress has earned a reputation for being one of the most historically gridlocked. The stalled healthcare package that passed both chambers last Congress, only to languish without final enactment, has left many wary of earnest bipartisan efforts. Acrimony between the two parties over passage earlier this year of H.R. 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, has further complicated matters. This inertia is reflected in the numbers: the 118th Congress passed the fewest laws since the Great Depression, and the 119th Congress is on an even worse trajectory, with a record low number of bills reaching the president’s desk in 2025.