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Congress

Democratic lawmakers walk down the east front steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on October 22, 2020. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The Real Reason Congress Gets Nothing Done

Republicans in the Senate, and a handful of corporate Democrats, are hell-bent on grinding the gears of government to a halt.

https://robertreich.org/

Why doesn't Congress get anything done?

Well, one chamber actually does. Hundreds of bills have been passed by the House of Representatives, but have been blocked from even getting a vote in the Senate. Bills like The Freedom to Vote Act, The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, The Equality Act, Background checks for gun sales, Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, The Protecting the Right to Organize Act, The Build Back Better Act. The list goes on.

So why aren't these crucial bills getting a vote in the Senate? Because the filibuster makes it impossible.

Watch:

All told, the House passed over 200 bills in 2021 that have not been taken up in the Senate. Everything from investing in rural education to preventing discrimination against pregnant workers to protecting seniors from scams--bills that have real, tangible benefits for the public; bills that have widespread public support.

So don't believe the media narrative that Congress is trapped in hopeless gridlock and both sides are to blame. One chamber of Congress, led by Democrats, is passing important legislation and delivering for the people. But Republicans in the Senate, and a handful of corporate Democrats, are hell-bent on grinding the gears of government to a halt.

Why are Senate Republicans doing this? Because their midterm strategy depends on it. Republicans are blocking crucial legislation so they can point to Democrats' supposed inability to get anything done, and claim they'll be able to deliver if you give them majorities.

Don't fall for it.

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republican partypoliticsfilibusterus congress

Why doesn't Congress get anything done?

Well, one chamber actually does. Hundreds of bills have been passed by the House of Representatives, but have been blocked from even getting a vote in the Senate. Bills like The Freedom to Vote Act, The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, The Equality Act, Background checks for gun sales, Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, The Protecting the Right to Organize Act, The Build Back Better Act. The list goes on.

So why aren't these crucial bills getting a vote in the Senate? Because the filibuster makes it impossible.

Watch:

All told, the House passed over 200 bills in 2021 that have not been taken up in the Senate. Everything from investing in rural education to preventing discrimination against pregnant workers to protecting seniors from scams--bills that have real, tangible benefits for the public; bills that have widespread public support.

So don't believe the media narrative that Congress is trapped in hopeless gridlock and both sides are to blame. One chamber of Congress, led by Democrats, is passing important legislation and delivering for the people. But Republicans in the Senate, and a handful of corporate Democrats, are hell-bent on grinding the gears of government to a halt.

Why are Senate Republicans doing this? Because their midterm strategy depends on it. Republicans are blocking crucial legislation so they can point to Democrats' supposed inability to get anything done, and claim they'll be able to deliver if you give them majorities.

Don't fall for it.

Why doesn't Congress get anything done?

Well, one chamber actually does. Hundreds of bills have been passed by the House of Representatives, but have been blocked from even getting a vote in the Senate. Bills like The Freedom to Vote Act, The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, The Equality Act, Background checks for gun sales, Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, The Protecting the Right to Organize Act, The Build Back Better Act. The list goes on.

So why aren't these crucial bills getting a vote in the Senate? Because the filibuster makes it impossible.

Watch:

All told, the House passed over 200 bills in 2021 that have not been taken up in the Senate. Everything from investing in rural education to preventing discrimination against pregnant workers to protecting seniors from scams--bills that have real, tangible benefits for the public; bills that have widespread public support.

So don't believe the media narrative that Congress is trapped in hopeless gridlock and both sides are to blame. One chamber of Congress, led by Democrats, is passing important legislation and delivering for the people. But Republicans in the Senate, and a handful of corporate Democrats, are hell-bent on grinding the gears of government to a halt.

Why are Senate Republicans doing this? Because their midterm strategy depends on it. Republicans are blocking crucial legislation so they can point to Democrats' supposed inability to get anything done, and claim they'll be able to deliver if you give them majorities.

Don't fall for it.

republican partypoliticsfilibusterus congress