Many Americans will be voting on Election Day – or have already cast votes – in races for statewide office, local positions and on ballot initiatives with major implications for democracy.
Congress is not on the ballot this November, but it will be in the 2026 midterms. A year from now, Americans in every state and district will get too vote for whom they want representing their interests in Washington.
But right now, Congress isn’t giving the American people much to go on.
As the shutdown of the federal government passes the one-month mark, the U.S. House of Representatives has been in recess for over 40 days. That’s the longest it’s ever stayed out of town outside of its typical summer recesses or the weeks leading up to their own elections.
Notably, the shutdown dose not mean that congress can’t meet. In fact, it must meet to end the shutdown legislatively. The Senate, for example, has taken votes recently on judicial nominations a major defense authorization bill and a resolution on tariff policy.Senators have also continued to hold bipartisan behind-the-scenes negotiations to end the shutdown impasse.
But with dwindling SNAP benefits, skyrocketing health care premiums and other major shutdown impacts beginning to set in, the House has all but abdicated its position as “The People’s Chamber.”
Long ‘path to irrelevance’
Table of Contents
Along with not meeting for any votes, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has refused to swear in Democratic US Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona. Despite Johnson’s assurances the shutdown does not prevent the House from meeting in a brief session to swear in Grijalva as a member for Arizona’s 7th District, which has been without representation as March.
Along with a growing list of grievances, this inaction is leading many to question whether the House is on a “long path to irrelevance.”## How Trump turned Congress into an afterthought
For over two centuries, the U.S. Congress has been considered the moast powerful branch of government. It controls the nation’s purse strings, declares war and has the ultimate say over federal laws. Yet, during the Trump governance, Congress has largely been sidelined, reduced to playing second fiddle.
Like most recent presidents, Trump came in with his party in control of the presidency, the House and the Senate. Yet despite the lawmaking power that this governing trifecta can bring, the Republican majorities in congress have mostly been irrelevant to Trump’s agenda.
Instead, Congress has relied on Trump and the executive branch to make changes to federal policy and in many cases to reshape the federal government fully.
Trump has signed more than 210 executive ordersa pace faster than any president as Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Republican Congress has shown little interest in pushing back on any of them. Trump has also aggressively reorganized, defunded or simply deleted entire agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Progress and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
these actions have been carried out even though Congress has a clear constitutional authority over the executive branch’s budget. And during the shutdown, Congress has shown little to no interest in reasserting its “power of the purse,” content instead to let the president decide which individuals and agencies receive funding, irrespective of what Congress has prescribed.
Many causes, no easy solutions
There’s no one culprit but instead a collection of factors that have provided the ineffectual Congress of today.
One overriding factor is a process that has unfolded over the past 50 or more years called political nationalization.American politics have become increasingly centered on national issues, parties and figures rather than more local concerns or individuals.
This shift has elevated the importance of the president as the symbolic and practical leader of a national party agenda. Together, it weakens the role of individual members of Congress, who are now more likely to toe the party line than represent local interests.
Even within the same political party, congressional districts vary dramatically in terms of their economies, demographics, and geographic features. Members of Congress are intended to consider these differences when crafting legislation. Though, when presidential control dominates the legislative process, these crucial local considerations can be sidelined. Such as, a coastal district facing rising sea levels will have different priorities than a landlocked agricultural district, and a strong Congress ensures both are heard.
A 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice highlighted how increasing executive power can led to policies that disproportionately benefit certain regions or groups while neglecting others. The report emphasizes the need for a robust Congress to ensure equitable policy outcomes.
The Rise of the “Imperial Presidency” and Accountability
The trend of a weaker Congress coincides with what historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr.famously termed the “imperial Presidency” – a situation where the president accumulates excessive power at the expense of the other branches of government. This dynamic creates a risk of an unaccountable executive branch, operating with limited oversight.
The framers of the U.S. Constitution intentionally designed a system of checks and balances, with Congress playing a central role in overseeing the executive branch. This oversight includes the power to investigate, legislate, and control funding. When Congress relinquishes these powers, it weakens its ability to hold the president accountable.
As noted by a 2024 Congressional Research Service report on presidential authority, presidential power has expanded significantly over time,particularly in areas of national security and foreign policy. A strong Congress is essential to ensure this power is used responsibly and in accordance with the Constitution.
consequences of Congressional Weakness
A weak Congress can manifest in several ways:
* Increased executive Orders: Presidents may rely more heavily on executive orders to bypass congressional gridlock, perhaps leading to policies that lack broad support or are legally questionable.
* Limited Debate and Amendment: Fewer opportunities for robust debate and amendment of legislation can result in poorly considered policies with unintended consequences.
* Reduced Oversight: Less congressional oversight of executive branch agencies can lead to waste, fraud, and abuse of power.
* Erosion of Public Trust: When Congress appears ineffective, it can erode public trust in government and democratic institutions.
Key Takeaways
* A strong Congress is vital for representing diverse local interests.
* The “Imperial Presidency” poses a threat to constitutional checks and balances.
* Congressional weakness can lead to unaccountable executive action and erosion of public trust.
* Robust congressional oversight is essential for responsible governance.
This is an updated version of a story that first published on May 15, 2025.