What it measures
Every bill carries the name of its sponsor. LAW counts bills or joint resolutions a member sponsored that became public law this Congress. Big laws often carry the text of many smaller bills, so the count is a tally, not a verdict.
By the numbers
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bills and resolutions introduced, 118th Congress (2023–24) | 19,315 | GovTrack, bill statistics |
| Enacted as standalone legislation, 118th | 274 | GovTrack |
| Enacted including text incorporated into other laws, 118th | 626 | GovTrack |
| Enacted standalone, 100th Congress (1987–88) | 761 | GovTrack |
| Enacted standalone, 93rd Congress (1973–74) | 772 | GovTrack |
GovTrack notes Congress has typically enacted 4–6 million words of new law in each two-year Congress since World War II, in fewer but larger bills. Full formula: Methodology.