[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 113 (Thursday, July 13, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         THE NEW HOUSE ORDER: BUSY- WORK UP--PRODUCTIVITY DOWN

                                 ______


                        HON. PATRICIA SCHROEDER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 13, 1995
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, per today's Roll Call analysis, the 
House, under Republican rule for the first time in 40 years, has 
compiled a dismal productivity record so far this year. It's 
Parkinson's Law at its worst: more activity and less work.
  Here are the gory details. As compared to the 103d Congress at this 
point in 1993, January 3-June 30, the House has been in session 15 
percent more days and 70 percent more hours. So much for family 
friendly. It churned out 52 percent more pages in the Congressional 
Record--the ``Hot Air Index''; and has had twice as many recorded 
votes--the ``Busy Work Index.'' Yet it passed 15 percent fewer bills 
and had zero public bills enacted into law.
  The Senate's record is marginally better, but nothing to write home 
about.
                          Congress' Box Score

       The workload figures are in for the first six months of the 
     year. Here's a comparison of Congress' effort so far this 
     year against the same time period in 1993:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      House (January 3- 
                                                          June 30)      
                                                   ---------------------
                                                      104th       103d  
                                                     Congress   Congress
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Days in session...................................         90         78
Hours in session..................................        774        454
Pages in Congressional Record.....................      6,699      4,409
Public bills enacted into law.....................      \1\ 0         20
Measures passed, total............................        183        208
Measures reported, total..........................        164        157
Conference reports................................          7          4
Measures pending on calendar......................         30         22
Measures introduced, total........................      2,358      3,124
Yea-and-nay votes.................................        117        141
Recorded votes....................................        338        164
Bills vetoed......................................          1          0
------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Senate (January 3- 
                                                          June 30)      
                                                   ---------------------
                                                      104th       103d  
                                                     Congress   Congress
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Days in session...................................        108         85
Hours in session..................................        950        587
Pages in Congressional Record.....................      9,596      8,381
Public bills enacted into law.....................         10         23
Measures passed, total............................        154        172
Measures reported, total..........................        118        114
Conference reports................................          0          0
Measures pending on calendar......................         93         53
Measures introduced, total........................      1,218      1,452
Yea-and-nay votes.................................        296        192
Bills vetoed......................................          0          0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ All bills signed into law this year have originated in the Senate.  
  Source: Congressional Record.                                         

  

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