What is Congress’s Job? – GovTrack.us

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July 25, 2025 · by Amy West

If you’re over 50 or know someone who is, you may think Congress’s job is as described in the Schoolhouse Rock video “I’m Just a Bill’ from 1975. Except for the way it leaves out lobbying activity, it’s a pretty good description of how Congress is supposed to work. At least, it is if you assume that Congress’s primary job is to pass or repeal laws including laws to fund the government (aka appropriations).

House

In that vein, the House passing six bills by large bipartisan majorities looks like a successful week:

• H.R. 3937: Wabeno Economic Development Act passed 410-1
• H.R. 4275: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 passed 399-12
• H.R. 3351: Improving Access to Small Business Information Act passed 387-12
• H.R. 3357: Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act passed by 381-31
• H.R. 1917: Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025 passed 360-57
• H.R. 3095: To direct the United States Postal Service to designate single, unique ZIP Codes for certain communities, and for other purposes passed 278-121

But they were scheduled to vote on 21 bipartisan bills and five Republican priority bills.

What happened?

The ongoing controversy over Jeffrey Epstein and whatever might be in Department of Justice files that includes President Trump is what happened.

Because a purported coverup of a fictional Epstein client list has considerable traction among Republican voters, many Republican members of Congress want to do the opposite of what President Trump wants: they want to force the release of additional information about him that the Department of Justice has. Democrats, sensing an opening to weaken the President have joined the fray and offered amendments of their own on the topic in committees.

Speaker Johnson, forced to choose between pleasing the President or allowing votes that would get support from his own party, decided to shut down the House early for its August recess.

The result? 15 bipartisan bills did not get a vote nor did the five bills ostensibly reflecting Republican priorities.

The evidence of the week suggests that the current leadership of the House believes that the House’s job, and the most important Republican priority, is to please the President. If that involves passing bills, great. But if not, well, then there’s not much point in being in session.

Senate

The Senate does not leave for its August Recess until next week. Next week, like this one, they’ll be working through nominees in need of confirmation. They may not leave at all. With public pressure from the President to stay and confirm nominees and Democrats so far not allowing time saving methods of confirmation, it’s possible the Senate will stay for part or all of August.

Is it likely? Your GovTracker thinks probably not. Democrats have provided some key support for Trump nominees – most recently Sen. Shaheen for Michael Waltz – and many members of both parties already had plans set for August (some personal, but many work related).

Programming note

Whether the Senate stays in session or not, we’ll start our August Recess posts next week. Thanks for all the great suggestions! We’ll do our best to address them. If we don’t get to all of them during August, we’ll hold on to your suggestions and write about them the next time Congress is at a full or partial standstill. Which, for your planning needs, may be in October when the government’s fiscal year ends and a government shutdown might happen.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

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