Productivity in Congress tanked in 2020

The big picture: Skyrocketing social media engagement and prolific numbers of bills filed that never went anywhere belie what happens when an increasingly divided and uncompromising Congress collides with an election-year pandemic.

By the numbers: Congress enacted 28 pieces of legislation this year, according Quorum’s report. That’s far fewer than in any other year since it started tracking the data in 1990.

At the same time, Quorum found the highest volume of legislation introduced in an election year since 2000. Election years have lower legislative output, as representatives turn their focus from governing to campaigning.