CONGRESS

It's Been 952 Days Since the Senate Passed a Major Law

Will that change in 2013?

Feb 21, 2013 by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t +

The last major law to pass the Senate was Dodd-Frank, the financial reform bill, on July 15, 2010. "As Republicans love to point out, the Senate also has not passed a budget since April 2009," writes The Atlantic's Molly Ball.

That's not to say the Senate has done nothing at all. They've pushed through some big and controversial deals, like the end of the debt-ceiling fight and the fiscal cliff resolution. But neither of these items can count as legislative accomplishments for Obama, and it's been over 2 years since any law passed that Obama can call a major personal achievement, Ball claims.

Why's this happening? One reason is Obama has lost some of his power over Dems in the Senate, say Republicans. If that's true, Obama's ambitious second-term agenda doesn't stand an ice cube's chance in hell of going anywhere.

One Democratic source claims this will all change in 2013, with renewed energy for bipartisan compromise on immigration and gun control.

Of course, some would argue that this lack of major laws passed isn't a bad thing, since not all lawmaking is good lawmaking.

Via the Atlantic.

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Yes, things are looking up

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I'm hopeful but not convinced

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No - I despair of our Congress

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No - at least I hope not

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62 Comments (view in Forum)

Feb '13

DerivePI

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Lets hope not. What good could come out of that senate.
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Feb '13

Knightkore

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I was just thinking....I sure hope not....
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Feb '13

NTBFW

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Like passing a budget as the law requires?
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Feb '13

Sonny

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well, if you get the Senate Republicans to stop filibustering everything...then perhaps that body could get something done!
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Feb '13

NTBFW

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@Sonny they have to present a budget first. Which they haven't. A violation of federal law.
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Feb '13

marine1

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I don't think that they should pass anything before it is fully vented AND completely understood if that is even possible.
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Feb '13

Sonny

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@NTBFW How do you know that they haven't tried? The Republicans either filibuster or threaten to filibuster everything they don't like....Including "budgets"!
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Feb '13

NTBFW

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@Sonny the republicans can't filibuster anything until its been introduced. Thank God they have stopped as many things as they have. No telling what damage Obama would do unfettered. He has done enough already.
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Feb '13

Dan_Tien

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But they have approved raises for themselves 3 times during those 952 days.
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Feb '13

MaxPain

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Oh My friend Bonner did pass a new Law........he and his 2 closest Friends now must now have Orange Glow Tans at all times.
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Feb '13

MaxPain

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@MaxPain 2nd now is a flunk and should not be their allot like Bonner should be gone.
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Feb '13

Vance1

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We do not need anymore Laws passed, Send the Government home!!!
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Feb '13

Sonny

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And replace it with what?!?!
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Feb '13

Penn1699

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@Sonny how about "real Americans." ones that are representative of our nation and it's peoples. Not some servant of the monied corporations and it's lobbyists.
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Feb '13

Vance1

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@Penn1699

Amen, indeed!!!
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Feb '13

Vance1

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@Sonny
The Change of a Nation
http://wwwamericanpatriot-vance.blogspot.com/...
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Feb '13

Denizen_Kate

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@Penn1699 - That sounds great. Who you gonna get?
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Feb '13

AlexMIA

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You all realize that passing major laws means more spending right? What excatly does more bipartisan after 2013 mean? Does it mean greater democratic majority in both branches of government? Will everything pass unchecked? That doesn't sound like deficiet reduction to me! People really should consider this.
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Feb '13

DaQuietOne

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We don't need more laws, we need to reform and remove laws.
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Feb '13

Wait-----what

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We need simplicity and a streamlined government. We have too many people in Washington making too many problems.
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Feb '13

MarkJM

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Over 1300 days since they passed a Budget (as per mandated by the Constitution). Yet the 535 Morons in CONgress are on their 3rd Vacation in less than 6 weeks. Must be nice. Let us also add in the notion that they have all voted themselves a constant pay raise EVERY year, claiming "it's the law." Yea...we're so screwed. The root of the problem btw is sadly We the People. Too many partisans out there who simply look for that little (D) or (R) after someone's name.
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Feb '13

harold_lloyd

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That is, I despair of this congress.

After 2014. there will be a different congress.

Hopefully one that will be capable of helping to govern, and not just act as an obstruction.
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Feb '13

zeke

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I doubt it, just read between the lines of many posts on this site, seems like party comes first then country!
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Feb '13

harold_lloyd

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@zeke
No, that's the way it has been, but it's not the way it's going to be or the nation really will come to no good end.

Just as they predict, most of them.But they'll never recognize that they are the cause of their own doom.

But I see a different path.

The extremists will secede from the party, and the ones who are left will be the pragmatic conservatives who are willing to settle for trying to steer the nation, as opposed to whacking it in the head like a steer at slaughter the way the teabaggers seem to favor.
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Feb '13

Wait-----what

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Looks like we've been paying these people to sit on their ass for almost three years. Nice to see that our tax dollars are being well spent.
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Feb '13

Vance1

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Yes, after the 2014 midterms we will have more conservatives back in, Because all these anti gun democrats will take a litteral bllod bath, Just like 1994.
I love that history always repeats itself.
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Feb '13

PNWest

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How can you expect anything to come out of the Senate when you have a Minority Leader like McConnell who filibusters his OWN bills? Add that to a Speaker of the House who refuses to negotiate with the President and it's no wonder you see nothing coming out of these bodies. Just a reminder. Obama's approval ratings are around 55% give or take. Congress - less than 15%.
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Feb '13

Vance1

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Hasnt it been 4) yrs since they have passed a budget?
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Feb '13

BelinKS

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A congress that cannot look to external and overseas financial issues instead of just looking at domestic spending do not need to be where they are, President Obama included.
We have given billions upon billions to Pakastan alone for unreliable supply routes to our military in Afghanistan. Which brings me to my next point. Why are we still there? AlQuida has moved home base to Yemen. Fighting the Taliban, who we trained and armed ourselves to help them because Russia was trying to take it. There are Taliban in the top tiers of there new government. It's time to leave now, not 2014. There goes the cost of that war and we can stop pouring money into thier new government. We need all our soldiers and military equipment out of there now! We're still there on the premise of training thier police and army. It's not working and they do not want us there anymore! We could stop pouring money into their hands too. Also giving aid to other countries needs to stop right now! We don't have the money, but we're doing it anyway? All that and our deficit is severely reduced with out touching domestic spending! What the h is their problem that they can't see a resolution right in their faces!
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Feb '13

ST_Louie_Sue

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Nothing good will ever happen with a Dimocrat majority.
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Feb '13

seedtick

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When Barack Husssein Obama creates a budget then congress should act.
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Feb '13

DARSB

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Well, then, Congress has no excuses. The President has submitted a budget annually, as required. http://goo.gl/4w6pq
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Feb '13

seedtick

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@DARSB And he cannot even get his own party to support it. Like so many other things he just plays the game.
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Feb '13

Hireman

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If lawmakers are not making laws, why are they being paid?
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Feb '13

AceLuby

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My thoughts exactly, it's not like it's being run efficiently or there's nothing to do. Rome is burning and they do nothing... and then get re-elected. Sad state of affairs.
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Feb '13

Vance1

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we do not intend to have anymore
"You will find out whats in this bill after we pass it"
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Feb '13

Speedieg

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So congress is supposed to make the laws not the President. Which party is failing in their job? Yes that's right, the speaker is not leading, he is obstructing and delaying.
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Feb '13

BossTweed

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The comment was the the SENATE hasn't passed a Law. That has nothing to do with Boehner. The House has sent the Senate several. Try to keep up.
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Feb '13

Speedieg

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@BossTweed the article is irrelevant. The real problem is a lack of leadership in the house. The speaker can and should drive legislation by working with both republicans and democrats in the senate. Rather than complain republicans should lead.
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Feb '13

BossTweed

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The Senate hasn't even passed a BUDGET since Obama became President. Harry Reid is an insult to generations of American Democrats. How sad for our children.
How sad for us all.
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Feb '13

Fitz

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There are over 230 years worth of laws on the books. The best thing they could do for us is go in and delete about 90 percent of them.
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Are you hopeful that Congress will pass more major laws in 2013?

Are you hopeful that Congress will pass more major laws in 2013?