Congress Used to Work. What Happened?

Skip to main contentNewsletterThe LatestNewsBooks & CultureFiction & PoetryHumor & CartoonsMagazinePuzzles & GamesVideoPodcastsGoings OnShopA lot of its dysfunction goes back to Newt Gingrich.July 24, 2026Listen and subscribe: Apple | Spotify | Wherever You ListenSign up to receive our twice-weekly News & Politics newsletter.The Washington Roundtable is joined by Carl Hulse, the New York Times’ chief Washington correspondent, to discuss Congress’s dwindling role in the American political system. Why are Congress members passing fewer bills than their predecessors? Why can the institution no longer complete basic tasks of governing, such as passing a budget on time? Are representatives more interested in being social-media stars than crafting legislation? The panel analyzes why Congress has