WASHINGTON — There were 24,766 bills and resolutions introduced in the 117th Congress that is coming to a close, with Minnesota lawmakers responsible for more than 500 of them.
Yet, despite the flood of legislation proposed by the 535 members of the House and Senate, only a fraction – usually fewer than 10% – are enacted into law.
“Why do they introduce all these bills that have little chance of passing?” asked Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance (CSPG) at the University of Minnesota. “They do it to appease constituents and donors.”
To Jacobs, “the process in Congress is too much going on and too little time.” So most legislation that’s introduced is referred to a committee, where it languishes.
The eight members of the House from Minnesota introduced more than 200 bills during the 117th Congress, which was gaveled in in January of 2021. According to Congress.gov, only 25 of those bills passed the House and even fewer were made law. Nine of them were bills that would rename a post office in Minnesota.
But looking at individual bills that won approval of by the House and Senate does not tell the whole story. Many bills the delegation championed were included in larger bills approved by this Congress.
Margaret Hershey, professor of political science at Indiana University, said attaching legislation to a larger bill in an effort win congressional approval “is increasingly common.”
“It’s very difficult to get 435 members of the House and 100 members of the Senate to reach an agreement on anything,” she said. “So this is one way to get around the increasing partisan and ideological polarized nature of Congress.”
A massive bill may contain proposals a lawmaker doesn’t like, but he or she will vote for the legislation because there are other proposals in the bill they do support, Hershey said.
Adding legislation sponsored by Minnesota’s lawmakers to “must pass” bills has occurred through this session of Congress.
For instance, Rep. Angie Craig, D-2nd, introduced 37 bills in this Congress. Three were approved by the House, a fourth, a short-term spending bill, became law and another bill, naming a post office after Officer Leo Pavlak, the only South St. Paul Police Officer to have lost his life in the line of duty, has been sent to President Biden for his signature.
One of Craig’s House-approved bills, the Local Water Protection Act, which reauthorizes a federal grant program aimed at efforts to control water pollution, was included in the massive National Defense Authorization Act, which determines the military’s budget and establishes Pentagon policy.
And the Inflation Reduction Act, a massive bill climate and health bill, included Craig’s provision that people with diabetes pay no more than $35 for an insulin prescription. However, Senate Republicans forced a rollback on the provision so it applies only to Medicare patients.
The last massive bill likely considered by the 117th Congress is an omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government, whose funding authority will end today.
The omnibus bill contains some legislation sponsored by Craig – including measures to speed Food and Drug Administration approval of certain generic drugs – and other Minnesota lawmakers.
But other than the omnibus, there were few opportunities for lawmakers to push their bills through Congress in its waning days and most of the thousands of bills that have been introduced will soon die.
That did not stop Minnesotan lawmakers from continuing to sponsor new bills, even though there is no time for hearings or the process that tees up legislation for a vote.
Rep. Brad Finstad, R-1st, for instance, introduced a bill this week that would overturn a U.S. Labor Department rule that allows retirement plans to offer funds that prioritize environment and social factors – including climate change and racial justice. Finstad said these investments will result in losses, and “the primary obligation of retirement plan should be to make investments based on maximum returns.”
Legislation sponsored by other Minnesota lawmakers
Rep. Dean Phillips, D-3rd, 32 bills introduced, one passed the House, one became law
Phillips’ Small Business Loan Agent Transparency Act, which calls for better oversight of the agents making loans that are guaranteed by the federal government, passed the House and a separate bill renaming a post office in Wayzata after former Rep. Jim Ramstad has become law.
Phillips, however, was active in pressing for more funding of local police during negotiations on a police funding package that was approved by the House and has used his chairmanship of a House Small Business subcommittee to press the Small Business Administration for reforms of it loan program, including loans to employee-owned businesses.
Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th, 19 bills and resolution introduced, three bills passed the House
McCollum introduced a bill that would reauthorizes the federal government’s global hunger and food security initiatives. The Global Food Security Act passed the House and became law after it was attached to the National Defense Authorization bill.
McCollum also won approval for two House resolutions. One would “express profound sorrow of the House of Representatives” on the death of former vice president Walter Mondale and the other would express the chamber’s sorrow on the death of former Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-1st.
Like other legislation, resolutions must be approved by both the House and Senate and signed by the president to become law.
Another McCollum bill approved by the House would reaffirm the right for the secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian Tribes.
However, McCollum’s greatest legislative accomplishment, as chairman of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee, is the approval of this year’s more than $760 billion Pentagon budget, is included in the massive omnibus package.
Rep. Ihan Omar, D-5th, 35 bills introduced, three passed by U.S. House, two awaiting Biden’s signature
Omar’s Combatting Islamophobia Act, which would establish a new office in the State Department to combat Islamophobia and monitor incitement to Islamophobia, was approved by the House, as were two of the lawmaker’s bills renaming post offices in Minneapolis.
One would rename a post office after former Rep. Martin Olav Sabo, D-5th, and the other would rename a post office after Charles W. “Chuck” Lindberg a highly decorated corporal who fought in World War II and was one of the marines who raised the first American flag over Iwo Jima. The post office bills, co-sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, were approved by the Senate Tuesday and await Biden’s signature.
As a leading progressive in the House, Omar also helped negotiate changes other legislation, including a House policing package and another bill aimed at fighting domestic terrorism.
Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, 37 bills introduced, four became law
As a Republican in a chamber controlled by Democrats, Emmer and other Minnesota GOP lawmakers, faced challenges having their legislation considered by committees and leaders of the opposing party. That will change next year when the House comes under Republican control and Emmer becomes the 3rd ranking GOP leader in that chamber – majority whip.
Emmer has already indicated he will again push for approval of his Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, which would shield blockchain technology that is used in the buying and selling of crypto, from some of the regulations of the Financial Action Task Force a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog.
Despite his minority status in this Congress, Emmer’s legislation renaming a post office in Avon, the W.O.C. Kort Miller Plantenberg Post Office, after one of three National Guardsmen killed in a Blackhawk helicopter crash, has become law.
Another Emmer bill that became law is the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Law, which establishes new federal grants to allow states and local governments to develop programs that help the incarcerated with substance abuse issues and develop crisis intervention teams and mental health law enforcement training.
And Emmer’s Abby Honold Act, was signed into law by Biden as part of $1.5 trillion budget bill. It establishes a two-year test program for police training on investigations into sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking and was inspired by the rape of a student at the University of Minnesota who spent years seeking justice. Klobuchar was the Senate sponsor of the bill.
Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-7th, 18 bills introduced, four approved by House
Fischbach won House approval of a bill that would make technical corrections to the U.S. laws relating to the national and commercial space programs and three bills renaming post offices.
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One would rename a facility in Windham after James A. Rogers and another would establish the Charles Nord Post Office in Perham. Both are Minnesota Guardsmen who perished in a Blackhawk crash. A third post office bill sponsored by Fischbach would rename a facility in Vergas after Jon Glawe, a veteran who delivered mail in the area for 36 years.
Fischbach also won approval of part of her Ship It Act in the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, a bill sponsored by Klobuchar, aimed at reducing pandemic-induced congestion at U.S. ports, which have resulted in inflationary prices and shortages. The bill was made into law.
Rep. Peter Stauber, R-8th, 26 bills introduced, three approved by U.S. House
Stauber won House approval of a bill that would give preference to small businesses as subcontractors in federal contracts, a bill that would establish a task force to seek reforms in the way the Federal Aviation Administration sends notices to pilots and other flight crew and a bill renaming a post office in Akeley the Neal Kenneth Todd Post Office, after a U.S. Navy fireman who died in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor.
Stauber also had a victory in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which included his legislation aimed at reducing small business contracting fraud.
Minnesota’s senators introduce largest number of bills
Of the members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation, Klobuchar has by far introduced the largest number of bills, 224 of them. She als0 had the most legislative victories.
Twenty-three of Klobuchar’s bills and resolutions were passed by the Senate, eight have become law and two are awaiting Biden’s signature.
Beside the shipping bill, Klobuchar-sponsored bills that are law include legislation inspired by the Jan. 6 attack that “allows the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police to request emergency assistance from executive departments and executive agencies to prevent significant disruption of governmental function and public order at the U.S. Capitol.”
Another Klobuchar bill made law will establish new statues on the Capitol grounds honoring former Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Conner and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
One that will become law with Biden’s signature designates the federal building located at 212 Third Ave. S. in Minneapolis as the Paul D. Wellstone Federal Building. Another would reauthorize critical resources to conserve and protect fish and wildlife populations in the Great Lakes.
Klobuchar’s legislation was also included in other, landmark bills that were approved by the 117th Congress. For instance her legislation that provides funding for the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, which provides a $30 monthly subsidy for low-income families and $75 a month for tribal communities to use on their internet bills, was included in the infrastructure bill.
And the Honoring our Pact Act of 2022 that aims to improve healthcare to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service, includes a Klobuchar provision that will provide health care personnel with improved education and training related to burn pits and establish a new national training program for those handling disability claims related to burn pit exposure.
The omnibus bill also contains several Klobuchar initiatives, including one that directs the National Institute of Mental Health to research the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of Americans.
But three bills aimed at reining in Big Tech that are Klobuchar priorities have been subject to a multi-million dollar lobbying and advertising campaign opponents, which include Amazon, Google and Meta.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., introduced 79 bills. Nine passed the Senate, six were resolutions.
One Smith resolution recognized October 2022 as “National Principals Month.” Another recognized November 17, 2021, as “National Butter Day.”
Yet many Smith bills were included in larger legislation.
Several became law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, including a measure that would offer financial assistance to agricultural producers and rural business owners to install renewable energy systems and adopt energy efficiency measures.
And the Violence Against Women’s Act included Smith’s legislation that restores Tribal jurisdiction over crimes of sexual violence committed by non-Native offenders on Tribal lands.
Smith, and other Minnesota lawmakers, were also key co-sponsors of many other bills that became law.
It’s good to look at what these representatives accomplished, or tried to.
But I am astonished that the article minimized Amy Klobuchar’s activities in the Senate, where she is increasingly regarded–by members from both parties–as one of the most effective bi-partisan Senators we have. Are we so Minnesota-“humble” that we fail to recognize a national leader like Amy Klobuchar when we have one among us?
She has successfully spearheaded a law being put into the current Omnibus funding bill, that would prevent a single person–the nation’s Vice President–from ever attempting to decide, alone, who will be the next President of the United States, by distorting the Electoral Count procedure in Congress.
In other words she pushed for, and seems to have got if the bill passes today or tomorrow, one of the premier recommendations of the January 6th Committee: to avoid ever in the future what Donald Trump tried to do to topple our democracy, to upend our Constitution. Trump tried to get VP Mike Pence to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential electionwhen Congress assembled to do that on January 6, 2021. Pence refused, because he knew the law and his responsibility.
But Amy Klobuchar worked to ensure that our country would not have to depend on one individual’s adherence–or not–to the Constitution in counting electoral votes.
Now that’s an accomplishment worth more than re-naming a Minnesota Post Office.
When it comes to generating legislation that goes nowhere, the Minnesota Legislature consistently outdoes Congress. In 2021 (the first year of the current legislative session), Congress passed 4% of the legislation introduced, the Minnesota Legislature 1.22% (topping only Massachusetts’ 0.41%). Since 2001, Congress has averaged 4-8% each two-year session; in reports I’ve seen in recent years, Minnesota has been consistently in the bottom 2-4 states with the lowest passage rates – and below Congress.
One big reason is numbers. Minnesota’s Legislature is among the largest in the nation – too many legislators trying to scratch too many backs or trying to demonstrate they’re “doing something” in St. Paul with along list of bills introduced.
Colorado led the nation in ’21 with 81.27% of legislation passed; but it also was 46th in number of bills introduced. Minnesota was 7th in number of bills introduced, 49th in percent passed.
Large bicameral divided state legislature is not a recipe for passing bills.
Thankfully
Nine of them were bills that would rename a post office in Minnesota.
But you will hear over and over about all the legislation they introduced, and in most cases they are nothing but a lot of hot air. Klobuchar attempted to take credit for all the bills she co sponsored which any congress person can do, however she takes credit for their passing. When I posted the actual results on facebook, I was banned from facebook. I just posted a link to a U S government web site, but her dolts complained and of course facebook said it didn’t have any people to review the accusation and it was just a way to prevent the facts exposing her less than honest proclamations. Phillips campaign took credit for a bill passed without stating which bill and research proved at that time that it was the renaming the Wayzata post office building. Just a lot of nothing. There is a reason these individuals become congressmen and senators. It’s not the $179,000 salary, just look at what other income Pelosi has made during here career. Phillips, the richest member of the house isn’t in it to serve the public, he is looking for another more lucrative position to further his own position. Also if you read the bills these individuals introduce you will find that many are just restatements of prior failed legislation with only slight changes like dates and costs. Some of Pilllips bills are just changes in punctuation of preivous legislation. Check for yourself on this site and follow what they are actually doing, lots of nothing https://www.govtrack.us/
Pelosi and Phillips had money prior to being in office, so I don’t think that is their impetus to being there. Phillps has done alot of bipartisan work and is the adult in the room as reviewed in the article. Pelosi is known, like her or not, at being very strategic, this includes in health care. There is alot of hot air, and it is not always about the bill. Emmer, like him or not, did alot of work on addressing mental health and substance abuse treatment and barriers in jail.
A proposal from Emmer to protect cryptocurrency companies from investigations looking at money laundering and terrorism financing? To me that merits a story of its own, giving that he will be part of the House Republican leadership. When theses companies are tanking and a fraudster CEO of one is now out of jail $250 million dollar bail, is it the time to pass legislation making regulation more lax?
Great reporting. Some comments seem to overlook the fact that many bills not passed were included in other legislation.
It must be very frustrating to work in an environment where one’s best offered legislation has barely a chance to be considered, sometimes merely because it is offered by a partisan.
Too much PAC and dark money and lobbying is likely the root cause of uncooperative and stubborn partisanship.
I have supported a constitutional amendment requiring that each of house of Congress give an up or down vote to bills passed by the other house. This wouldn’t have dealt with the issue that legislators routinely toss bills into the hopper which they have no hope of passing or of even getting serious consideration, but I don’t see that as much of a problem. It is a free Congress after all. The problem today is that Congress generally is paralyzed by division and it’s rules. For decades now, it has not been one of the branches of our government that functioned. The Supreme Court has in fact assumed many of the legislative duties originally given by the founders to Congress, filling the power vacuum.
What? You mean SCOTUS is not functioning the way it was ORIGINALLY intended to?
Jeez the Federalist Society is going to have a collective heart attack.
It is how our system of checks and balances work. When one branch of government becomes dysfunctional, the other two branches fill the vacuum created. I am sure that was what the founders intended. Maybe we should have taken their advice and not developed a party system. We may have overlooked their wisdom in that area.
No. That is exactly the opposite of what they intended. They intended for each branch to provide a check on the other, which is impossible if one branch can essentially usurp the power of another branch. The powers of each branch are granted by the Constitution, not taken when available. Congress has ceded too much power to the Executive, and the Executive has given too much power to the Judicial. The Judicial has allied itself with one party, which was absolutely not considered acceptable by the Framers.
I essentially agree with this, although I would quibble that the “conservative” judicial branch has wrongfully seized its power from the executive branch, not that the executive willingly ceded its power. The “conservative” judicial branch has concluded that Dem administrations should not be permitted to actually govern.
So the Repub Supreme Court is now drunk with its unchecked power to strike down whatever it wishes on constitutional or phoney “statutory interpretation” grounds. The “conservative” majority has decided they are no longer a “court”, but the policy-maker of last resort. And the policies they implement are those that the American conservative movement supports and desires.
And as you say, that is most certainly not what the Framers intended. They would not recognize the current “system” as what they thought they were creating: a paralyzed Congress, a sprawling Executive and an all-powerful Judiciary. Of course, they also couldn’t imagine the Modern Era…
With respect to the judicial branch, I see it as more of a check issue. If the Supreme Court goes to far, the executive always has the option of simply ignoring it’s rulings. There is, after all, nothing originalist about Marbury v. Madison. When asked about the power of the Vatican, Stalin famously inquired, “How many divisions has the pope?”. The Supreme Court doesn’t even run the Federal Marshal service.
There are two things here. Checks and balances. When one branch of government essentially disappears, it is a balance issue. With the decline of Congress in recent years, I think that is exactly what has happened and it is why power has flowed to the other branches of government. This is, I think, what the founders intended in their concern about balance.