Only 193 laws have made it out of the 112th Congress so far

Wednesday, September 19, 2012  

The 112th Congress has only passed 173 public laws, The New York Times reports, making it one of the least productive in history.

Individually, the Republican-led House and the Democrat-controlled Senate have passed hundreds more bills. But together, the chambers have little to show for the past two years.

"This has been a very disappointing session with few accomplishments," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told the Times.

The Violence Against Women Act is one of those bills that is caught in the partisan gridlock. The Senate version, S.1925, includes provisions to recognize criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit domestic violence offenses on reservations.

The House version, H.R.4970, lacks the same protections. Lawmakers from both chambers appear unwilling to budge on the bill.

H.R.205, the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act (HEARTH) Act, is one of the few Indian bills to clear the House and the Senate. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama in July, 18 months after it was first introduced.

Get the Story:
Congress Nearing End of Session Where Partisan Input Impeded Output (The New York Times 9/19)