U.S. Congress and Legislative Process

Axios reports that under Speaker Mike Johnson, the House of Representatives logged only slightly more voting days in 2025 than during the COVID-19 era, as Johnson kept the chamber out for 54 days during the shutdown and repeatedly canceled votes when internal tensions rose or his priorities lacked support. The light calendar, coupled with failure to move post‑shutdown appropriations bills and a decision to let Democrats force a January vote on expiring ACA subsidies, has triggered open frustration from Republicans across the conference who say Johnson squandered a rare period of unified GOP control despite passing a single 'one big, beautiful bill.'