California Lawmaker Criticizes Congressional Productivity
A California lawmaker, who recently stepped down to pursue a gubernatorial run, has claimed that Congressional Republicans have created one of the least productive legislative sessions. However, Republicans argue that Democrats share equal responsibility for this outcome.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, aspiring to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, attributed the low legislative performance in 2025 to a lack of focus and bipartisan collaboration.
“There wasn’t much else going on this Congress,” Swalwell remarked. “As we move into the new year, if Republicans are willing to partner with us to lower costs at grocery stores, I think they’ll find us receptive.” He spoke on The Weekend.
Swalwell took some credit for the legislative output, noting, “I authored one of the 40 bills that passed. It’s a bipartisan bill making it easier for nursing mothers to navigate airports without undergoing a breast milk test.”
During the first session of the 119th Congress, 362 votes were cast in the House. For perspective, in 2015, when another Republican majority was in place, the House considered 710 bills in a similar timeframe. In 2025, only 61 bills made it through both chambers and were enacted, and of those, just 38 were not non-parliamentary resolutions.
Despite Swalwell’s claims, Republicans assert that criticisms of productivity can apply to both parties. Sen. Ron Johnson from Wisconsin recently accused Democrats of deliberately causing gridlock on spending and other matters to impede Republican efforts.
“The American people are being used as pawns,” Johnson stated. “Democrats appear to be aiming for a government shutdown,” referencing the previous year’s record 43-day impasse. He suggested that they do not wish for the Republican Party to succeed and prioritize regaining power over the well-being of the economy.
Congress has now adjourned until 2026, leaving several pressing matters unresolved. A spending bill needs to be passed by the end of January to avert another government shutdown. Additionally, there’s urgency surrounding the decision to extend enhanced subsidies for Obamacare, which were initially implemented as part of the pandemic response.
Democrats express concern that without these extensions, many of the benefits from Obamacare could disappear. If the subsidy’s expiration occurs at year’s end, premium costs are expected to surge.
Recently, a few Republicans crossed party lines, voting with Democrats to consider extending the subsidy in January. Swalwell is hopeful this could foster a sense of bipartisan cooperation in 2026 that has been lacking in the past year.
“Currently, a majority in the House supports these subsidies. It’s up to the Speaker to bring this forward for a vote when they return,” Swalwell added.
“If that doesn’t happen, the message will be pretty clear: It’s just too expensive. The costs at the grocery store are climbing, and metaphorically, we’re losing essential battles under this administration,” he concluded.
