There is no simple answer. And it all is probably short-lived.

But interviews with the same senators who participated in one of the most unproductive Congresses in U.S. history last session — the same lawmakers who have been roundly reviled by voters — reveal that they are simply fed up with their own procrastination and the gridlock it produced. With the midterm elections 16 months away, senators are exploiting a brief window to dust off bills that have stalled for years. And Republican senators say they’re willing to risk the wrath of House Republicans to cut deals and compromise with Democrats in the Senate — at least for the time being.

“This is a small but significant step in repairing the damage we’ve created in the United States, by finding a pathway forward on a controversial tough issue like immigration,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the architects of the immigration bill. “I think one of the storylines of this bill beyond the substance of the bill is there is some hope that the Senate may be able to function again.”