Congress Heads Home With Little Done as Republicans Fear Midterm Losses

Republican lawmakers in Congress left the U.S. Capitol this week before the midterm elections without passing new laws to help Americans deal with the high cost of living. In their final days in session, Republicans tried to hold votes on several bills, but most of those votes were set up knowing they would fail. Many voters are worried about rising prices for food, fuel, and other goods, and some Republicans are now wondering whether they did enough to keep voters on their side.

Before leaving, Republicans tried to bring up a bill that would limit — but not ban — stock trading by members of Congress. They also pushed a bill that would encourage energy companies to make data centers, run by large tech firms, pay for rising electricity costs. Both efforts failed, and no new laws were passed on either issue.

Senator Jim Justice, a Republican from West Virginia, summed up the worry many in his party are feeling. 'If you can't pay the bills, no matter how much you love us as Republicans, we're in control,' he said. His words showed how nervous some Republicans are about facing voters who are struggling financially.

Polls show that voters care most about the economy, the cost of living, the war in Iran, and government corruption. Even so, the Senate spent most of its last two weeks debating a bill about college sports. Critics inside the party said that time could have been better spent on problems that affect everyday Americans.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota tried to stay positive, but his message was more about warning voters against Democrats than celebrating Republican accomplishments. He argued that a Democratic win would mean higher taxes, more government spending, and open borders. Still, he is not up for re-election himself, so the pressure is on other Republican candidates.

Republicans entered the midterms with a favorable map, meaning more states were expected to lean their way. But the party found itself playing defense even in states that normally vote Republican without much of a fight. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said that even Kansas had become more competitive than his party had hoped.

Some Republicans admitted they should have worked harder on issues that matter to everyday people. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said lawmakers wasted time on the college sports bill and then rushed on more important issues at the last minute. He pointed to a bill that would have capped the price of insulin as something the Senate should have passed before leaving.

The votes that did take place were partly meant to put Democrats in a tough spot politically. But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the strategy a failure, saying only actually passing and signing a bill into law would make a real difference. 'It's an act of desperation that's going to fail, and none of that is going to work,' he said.