Steve Corbin is emeritus professor of marketing at the University of Northern Iowa and a contributing columnist to 246 newspapers and 48 social media platforms in 45 states, who receives no remuneration, funding, or endorsement from any for-profit business, nonprofit organization, political action committee, or political party.
The month of August is widely recognized as the ideal time for relaxation and rejuvenation. The U.S. House of Representatives began its summer recess on July 25, while the summer break for the U.S. Senate began on August 4. Members of Congress are not due back in Washington, DC until September 2.
This four to five-week respite should give our elected delegates time to reflect on their achievements since President Donald Trump’s second administration started on January 20. One hopes the break with give our legislators time to consider how they’ve come up short in representing their 340 million constituents by honoring the principles of the U.S. Constitution, which they took an oath to uphold and defend.
The job of members of Congress
The 535 members of Congress are supposed to make laws, represent the people (versus their party), oversee the executive branch, and conduct investigations. Every legislator takes a pledge to bear allegiance to the Constitution as the supreme law and act without personal or political evasion.
Let’s reflect on a couple work-related matters that have occurred in the past 29 weeks since Trump came back to the White House. During this time period, the average U.S. adult has labored for 145 days with an average annual salary of $66,622 and a 31 percent fringe benefit package. Meanwhile, our 100 senators and 435 representatives have had 109 and 97 working days at the Capitol, respectively, for an annual salary of $174,000 plus 61.9 percent fringe benefits.
Quite the disparity exists between our aristocrat legislators and America’s proletariat working class.
Accomplishments of the 119th Congress
Multiple research-oriented searches pointed to two prominent accomplishments by the GOP-controlled Congress since January 20:
1) the Republican Party has secured power of the Senate and House deliberations, which permits them to make laws, oversee the executive branch and control the nation’s purse strings; and
2) passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” will have a significant effect on federal taxes, credit, and deductions but is projected to increase federal deficits by $3.4 trillion over the next ten years.
Shortcomings of the 119th Congress
Several legal experts and nonpartisan public interest groups have raised serious concerns regarding Trump’s overreach, possible violations of the law, and abuses of power. Presidential actions that warrant Congressional investigations include:
1) Trump signed multiple executive orders directing agencies to pause or redirect funds that were explicitly appropriated by Congress. Such actions violate the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, which prohibits the president from unilaterally withholding Congressionally allocated funds. Congressional response: nothing.
2) Trump fired seventeen inspectors general across the federal government in the first week of his current administration without providing—as mandated by law—the required 30-day notice and case-specific reasons to Congress. Since then, he has removed inspectors general from several more agencies. Congressional response: silence.
3) Trump signed a series of executive orders asserting powers that contradict or bypass federal statutes, such as border enforcement, birthright citizenship, and instructing the Department of Justice not to enforce TikTok’s ownership. Congressional response: sound of crickets.
4) Trump signed executive orders to place independent agencies—such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Communications Commission, and Federal Trade Commission—under his control and shutting down USAID, bypassing Congressional intent and defunding programs authorized by law. Congressional response: nada, nil and naught.
5) In March, Trump issued an executive order that many think undermines the independence of the electoral process, intervening where only Congress and the 50 states have constitutional authority. Congressional response: diddly-squat.
6) Trump’s personal business entanglements and refusal to place assets in a blind trust violate the Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution, which our Congressional delegates have taken an oath to uphold. Congressional response: zip.
The failure of Congress to act is alarming
To date, many constitutional experts, independent think tanks, and freelance columnists have urged Congress to take legislative, oversight, and accountability reforms during the Trump 2.0 administration.
A nationwide Gallup poll from February found only 29 percent of Americans approved of Congressional endeavors. Not surprisingly, by June only 23 percent of Americans approved of the way Congress is handling its job.
If any employee ignored work-site legal issues, abused the authority of their job, and received a 23 percent approval rating, they wouldn’t remain on the payroll very long.
Yet the do-nothing posture of Republicans in Congress since January 20 is more alarming, since their inaction normalizes executive overreach, enables unchecked presidential power, ignores laws, weakens democracy, and most assuredly reveals an autocratic dictatorship is not coming to America—it is here already.
Research is replete: members of the majority party in Congress have failed their oath of office to uphold the nation’s legal foundation, oversee the executive branch, and conduct investigations.
When they go back to work on September 2, they should re-read their oath of office, uphold the constitution, and do their job without personal or political evasion.
Top image: President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders in the Oval Office on April 24, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Abe McNatt)