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Republican Trifecta Delivers Sparse 2025 Lawmaking Centered on a July Reconciliation Law

Policy change concentrated in one budget law, with record CRA rollbacks alongside mass nominee approvals.

Overview

  • Congress passed 61 bills in 2025, including 22 resolutions voiding Biden-era rules and two measures renaming federal buildings, according to Congress.gov.
  • The “One Big Beautiful Act,” signed in July, made Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, added a $150 billion Pentagon boost that helped push military funding past $1 trillion, authorized more than $170 billion for immigration enforcement, and cut Medicaid and clean energy spending.
  • The House recorded 362 roll-call votes, a 21st‑century low for a first session, with frequent early recesses and a 43-day shutdown disrupting the calendar.
  • The Senate prioritized confirmations and changed its rules to approve executive-branch nominees en bloc, confirming a package of 48 in September and another 97 before adjournment.
  • Republicans used the Congressional Review Act at record scale, enacting 22 rule repeals in a process shielded from the 60-vote threshold that still governs most legislation.