112th Congress Set To Become The Least Productive Since 1940s

With just days left in the 112th Congress, this session of legislators is set to become the least productive in modern American history, according to a review by The Huffington Post. President Barack Obama has signed just 219 bills into law since January, 2011. This Congress would need to pass another 100 bills between now and the close of this Congress' business in order to surpass the 104th Congress which, up to now, has had the honor of being the least productive Congress since records going back to 1947 have been kept by the U.S. Clerk's office.

Both the 104th (1995-1996) and the 112th Congress share the distinction of including a number of Republican legislators swept into office after a wave election. They also governed during a Democratic presidential administration.

'The 112th Congress has done far less than the 80th Congress (1947-1948), which President Harry Truman infamously dubbed the 'Do-Nothing Congress.' Those lawmakers passed 906 bills that became law,' writes the Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel.

Furthermore, many of the bills passed by this Congress, including those awaiting President Obama's signature, deal with relatively inconsequential or ceremonial matters like the renaming of public buildings.

While some may conclude that a Congress that does the least can do the least harm, still others would determine that ' given the many problems facing the nation ' the lack of productivity by this Congress is inexcusable.

Read the full report in The Huffington Post

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