Republicans closed out two years of control over the political branches of Washington on Thursday with a whimper, leaving a government still in partial shutdown and a long list of priorities left undone.
Asked about their record, GOP lawmakers said they were proud of the tax overhaul in December 2017, which also included long-sought permission to drill for oil in an Alaskan preserve and a repeal of Obamacare’s individual mandate to purchase health insurance.
But they struggled to recall other marquee moves, pointing instead to promises unkept to repeal outright the 2010 Affordable Care Act, abortion politics and a host of immigration battles.
“The failure of this Republican Congress to repeal Obamacare, secure our borders and address our deficit and debt may be a pivot point in the failure of America going forward,” said Rep. Mo Brooks, Alabama Republican.
It was a major letdown for lawmakers who had been promised they would get “tired of winning.”
Even when GOP leaders won big bipartisan votes, such as pumping money into anti-opioid addiction efforts or a generational reform of sentencing policies that could cut the federal prison population by tens of thousands, they didn’t seem to earn credit, with turmoil at the White House and ego-testing skirmishes on Capitol Hill overshadowing their work.
As they closed out the session, top Republicans insisted progress had been made.
Their lists included new laws to combat sex trafficking, imposing sanctions on bad foreign actors, repealing Obama-era regulations, and providing terminally ill patients with the right to try experimental treatments.
Senators also pointed to dozens of appeals-court judges and two Supreme Court justices approved, over vehement objections of Democrats.
But rank-and-file lawmakers easily ticked off their disappointments as the session was nearing an end last month.
“More missed opportunities than anything,” said Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican who said failing to stop taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood was a major whiff. – READ MORE