The 116th Congress, if measured by new legislation enacted, is on track to be one of the least productive in history. Since convening at the beginning of 2019, the Congress has passed only 1% of proposed legislation—or 193 bills. Its term ends Jan. 3, 2021. The last ten Congresses passed an average of 417 bills each year, or 3.6% of proposed legislation.
According to an October 2019 count by S&P Global, only a portion of 65 bills passed were "substantive"; some were ceremonial measures, such as renaming public buildings.
Split House and Senate control has snagged many bills. The House devoted much time to impeachment inquiries and other oversight efforts while the Senate confirmed a steady stream of judicial appointees. March's passage of a massive round of coronavirus relief spending was followed by subsequent gridlock blocking a second round.