Donald Trump has repeatedly vilified the "do-nothing" Congress.
He might genuinely believe Congress is "doing nothing."
But what about the average American?
Is he or she even aware of how many bills the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has passed since taking back the majority in January?
Are you?
The answer is 213.
Voting reforms, criminal justice, prescription drug prices, preexisting conditions, veterans issues--all saw legislation passed in the House this year.
The first to sail through the 116th Congress was House Resolution (HR) 1, or the "For The People Act," which responds to voters' demands for stronger electoral protections, such as automatic voter registration and small-donor public financing of elections.
But that isn't all.
Here are some more examples from just the first four months of this year:
Health care- HR 259Medicaid Extenders Act of 2019
- HR 271Condemning the Trump Administration's Legal Campaign to Take Away Americans' Health Care
- HR 986Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019
- HR 987Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act
- HR 1520-- the Purple Book Continuity Act (lowering the cost of prescription drugs)
- HR 1503--the Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019 (lowering the cost of prescription drugs)
- HR 5Equality Act
- HR 7Paycheck Fairness Act
- HR 124Expressing opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly transgender individuals
- Gun control
- HR 8Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019
- HR 1112Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019
- HR 9Climate Action Now Act
- HR 1331Local Water Protection Act
- S 47National Resources Management Act
- HR 2578National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2019
- Military/foreign affairs
- HR 840Veterans' Access to Child Care Act
- HJ Res. 37Directing the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress
- SJ Res. 7To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress
- HR 31Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019
- HJ Res. 30Disapproving the President's proposal to take an action relating to the application of certain sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation
- H.Con.Res. 24Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress.
- HR 1585Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019
- HR 1500Consumers First Act
- HR 1994SECURE Act
- HR 1644Save the Internet Act of 2019
- HR 2157Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019
- HR 269Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019
- HR 251Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program Extension Act
- S 24Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019
- HR 430TANF Extension Act of 2019
- Concurring in the Senate Amendments to HR 251Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard Program Extension Act
- HR 790Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Raise Fairness Act of 2019
- HJ Res. 46Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019
- H Res. 183Condemning anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values and aspirations that define the people of the United States and condemning anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contrary to the values and aspirations of the United States, as amended
- H Res. 194Rule Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1644 and H.R. 2021
- HR 2480Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
- HR 375To amend the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian Tribes (also known as the "Carcieri Fix")
- HR 21Making appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes
- HJ Res. 1Making further continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes
- HR 265Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
- HR 267Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
- HR 266Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
- HR 268Disaster Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 (Disaster Supplemental and short-term continuing resolution through Feb. 8)
- HR 264Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act
- HJ Res. 28Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 (Short-term continuing resolution through Feb. 28)
- HR 648Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Six conferenced bills minibus)
- HJ Res. 31Making further continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2019 (Short-term homeland continuing resolution through Feb. 28)
- Conference Report to Accompany HJ Res 31Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes.
This list goes on.
So why is Trump able to get away with peddling the "do-nothing" lie?
The answer: Mitch McConnell.
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has adopted the sobriquet the "grim reaper" because of his unilateral ability to refuse to even bring legislation to the Senate floor for votes.
Earlier this year, McConnell said at a press conference:
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
