Good morning. It's Sunday, December 28. I'm Melissa Murray in for my friend Ali Velsheed.

And 2025 has been a record-breaking year for Congress. But not exactly the way that they would like.

Congress is doing less voting,

less legislating, and less showing up for work. As the 119th Congress reaches the midway point

of its term, the president assigned 38 bills passed by Congress into law. At that rate,

this Congress will be significantly less productive than the last Congress, which was the least productive Congress in 50 years.

The House of Representatives held the fewest roll call votes of any Congress in the first year of its term this century, just 362.

And that number is especially bizarre because this is a trifecta government in which Republicans

control every branch. The 43-day government shutdown last fall was the longest in American history.

And for the entirety of that shutdown and then some, 54 days in all, speaker Mike Johnson

kept the house away from Capitol Hill.

That decision contributed to the fewest voting days for the House in any non-election year this

century, apart from 2021, which of course was affected by the pandemic.

When lawmakers did return from the shutdown, they were angry and frustrated with one another,

and it showed. They began wielding the censure, a rare and often bipartisan and very serious condemnation

of a House member, as a commonplace weapon. Four censure resolutions were put up for a vote in

just a week's time in November, more than prior

Congresses would see in an entire term. For this grumpy group of 435, swearing, shouting,

and personal attacks are becoming increasingly common, and the toxic environment is taking

its toll. Members of Congress are retiring, resigning,

or seeking higher office at a record rate. 20 Democrats and 26 Republicans have decided not to

return to Congress, a number that is expected to increase as the midterms near. And four members

...