John Thune’s Senate siesta: Nearly 700 House bills are still waiting

By Brian C. Joondeph, M.D. | Commentary, Rasmussen Reports

Congress has spent years competing with car salesmen for the public’s distrust. The car salesmen should demand an apology. In Gallup’s 2009 survey, 55% of Americans rated members of Congress as low or very low
in honesty and ethics.
That was almost two decades ago. Surely Congress has its act together by now, especially with the addition of DSA members and The Squad. Or perhaps not.
A January 2025 Gallup survey placed members of Congress alongside lobbyists and television reporters among the least trusted professions.
Quite the distinguished company, but even among congressional leaders, somebody has to bring up the rear.
According to a recent Rasmussen Reports survey, that distinction belongs to Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Only 28% of likely U.S. voters have a favorable impression of Thune, down from 31% a year ago. Just 8% view
him very favorably.
In his defense, or perhaps as part of his problem, 36% are “not sure” about him. Rasmussen reports that he appears to have the lowest name recognition among congressional leaders. John who?
Low recognition is not the same as widespread hostility and disapproval.
But for the Republican leading the Senate, being a mystery to more than a third of likely voters is hardly a ringing endorsement.
My complaint is less about what Thune has done than about what he has NOT done. The “greatest deliberative body” too often looks as if it has confused deliberation with a two-year siesta.
Anyone who remembers Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill” knows the drill: legislation must pass both the House and the Senate before it reaches the president’s desk. Apparently, the Senate missed that episode.
House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed this week that the House had passed about 1,000 measures, with nearly 700 awaiting Senate action.
Johnson blamed Senate Democrats for obstructing legislation. Fair enough.

The minority can obstruct. But the majority leader still must explain what he plans to do about it. Otherwise, what exactly is he leading?
The backlog is not just about sweeping legislation or Trump priorities, such as the SAVE Act. It also includes the seemingly mundane task of changing our clocks.
In July, the House passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent. Whether Americans prefer permanent daylight saving time, permanent standard time, or the twice-yearly ritual of wondering which appliance clock is correct, the issue warrants a decision. Even the clocks occasionally move forward. Except in the U.S. Senate.
Defenders of the Senate’s pace cite its rules and traditions. These are not constitutional commandments, though Washington often treats them as if Moses had brought them down from Mount Sinai.
The legislative filibuster generally requires 60 votes to end debate on contested legislation. Certain measures, including qualifying budget reconciliation legislation, can advance without meeting that threshold. The Senate’s own history explains how its rules evolved.
Nominations operate differently. They can advance by a simple majority, though procedural delays persist. Post-cloture consideration can last up to 30 hours for some nominations.
Then there is the Judiciary Committee’s blue-slip tradition, which can stop district court nominees opposed by a home-state senator.
Different procedures. Same familiar refrain: hurry up and wait.
To be fair, the Senate has passed legislation and confirmed nominees under Thune. The question is whether its leadership has done enough with the majority that Republicans were handed.
A legislative backlog of nearly 700 House-passed measures is a good place to begin that discussion. Yet after last week’s midterm defeat, Senate Republicans reelected Thune as their leader for the next Congress, when they will be in the minority.
Lose the majority. Keep the leadership. Washington accountability in action.
Remember the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Republicans’ election losses had multiple causes. The Rasmussen Report survey does not tell us how many frustrated Republicans stayed home, let alone why. But Republican leaders should at least consider whether voters expected more than excuses for Senate procedure.
Voters elected a majority. Instead, they got a TED Talk on why a majority cannot get things done.
The election is over. The current Republican majority is not. At least not yet. There is still a lame-duck session, offering a final opportunity to advance legislation and act on President Trump’s pending judicial and executive nominations, though this is much like locking the barn door after the horse was stolen.
How about reconsidering the legislative filibuster and finally moving forward with the accumulated bills Republicans keep telling voters are essential?
After all, some newly elected Democrats will push to end it once they are in the majority. If Senate Republicans believe those measures are worth passing, now would be an ideal time to demonstrate it.
As for the nominations, complete the reviews, hold the votes, and confirm the qualified nominees. The calendar is growing shorter, just as the days are this fall.
The Senate and its leadership still have a choice. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT RASMUSSEN REPORTS

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