Republicans in Congress are not even showing up to work amid government shutdown

In a political climate where the halls of Congress have grown notably quiet, progressive activist Lisa McCormick has launched a scathing critique against three MIA New Jersey Republicans—Congressmen Tom Kean Jr., Jeff Van Drew, and Chris Smith— accusing them of abandoning their posts and their constituents.

The rebuke comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is on track to have one of its lightest non-election-year workloads in decades, having met for just 87 voting days so far in 2025.

The 118th Congress enacted 274 public laws, the lowest number in over 30 years, making it one of the least productive Congresses in modern history.

That number makes them look like workaholics compared to the 119th Congress, which has passed only 36 public laws so far.

“Congressmen Tom Kean Jr., Jeff Van Drew, and Chris Smith recently voted to pass a budget that will raise costs for Americans while giving trillions in handouts to the ultra-wealthy,” said McCormick, an anti-establishment progressive who challenged former Senator Bob Menendez in the 2018 Democratic primary. “President Donald Trump and House Republicans said they would cut costs for the middle class, but the only thing they are cutting is nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid. Prices are rising, jobs are disappearing, and Congress is not even showing up to work.”

McCormick added, “Kean, Van Drew, and Smith are hiding instead of showing up for work.”

The accessibility of these representatives to their New Jersey constituents has become a point of contention.

While official calendars allow plenty of time for lawmakers to return home for town halls and other public events, the three Garden State Republicans have been largely unavailable for such forums.

This follows a reported directive from the National Republican Congressional Committee chair, who advised members to avoid in-person town halls over concerns they would be interrupted by activists.

The light legislative schedule, orchestrated by Speaker Mike Johnson, has been described as a governing tool intended to keep lawmakers out of Washington when tensions flare or policy negotiations stall.

Johnson has defended the approach, stating that it is sometimes better for lawmakers to be “physically separated,” but Arizona is suing Johnson for failing to seat Adelita Grijalva, who was the victor in a special election

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed the lawsuit against the House Speaker on Tuesday in federal court in Washington, asking the court to compel Johnson to swear in to seat Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva.

Grijalva is expected to join lawmakers who are demanding the release of the FBI files detailing the exploits of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a close friend of President Donald Trump. All Democrats and a few Republicans in the House have signed a document that would force Congress to vote on releasing the Epstein files, and Grijalva’s signature would tip the balance.

While some Republicans have grumbled about being sidelined, others insist the “district work period” is not a vacation, noting that members are reportedly cleaning parks, volunteering at food banks, and helping families in their home districts.

However, the consequences of congressional inaction are becoming tangible. Critical policy changes are proceeding without the typical legislative debate.

With mounting legal concerns and unchecked authority, Congress’s silence threatens to normalize presidential overreach.

As of September 26, 2025, in the 36 weeks since the start of the current administration, the typical American worker has labored for approximately 180 days, based on an average annual salary of $67,105 and a 31.2 percent fringe benefit package.

During this same period, public disclosure records indicate members of Congress have been present for legislative duties at the Capitol for 114 days. These officials continue to receive an annual salary of $174,000, supplemented by a 62.1 percent fringe benefits package.

This comparison of work patterns and compensation between the electorate and their representatives provides ongoing context for the national dialogue concerning productivity and public service.

Without showing up, Republicans in Congress have failed to keep the government open for business and they are missing deadlines for the reauthorization of certain programs, which is causing them to lapse.

For instance, the enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces are slated to expire at the end of this year, which the Center on Health Insurance Reform at Georgetown University estimates will cause the average enrollee’s premium to increase by 114 percent.

A 28-year-old in Oregon, for example, could see their monthly premium jump from $8 to $97. Furthermore, a recent legislative change stripped eligibility for premium tax credits from certain lawfully present immigrants, a move expected to result in 300,000 people losing health coverage.

As one lawmaker noted, “We should be in session, in the House, having these conversations, because on Nov. 1, open enrollment happens, and nothing has been done.”

The political strategy of maintaining distance from the Capitol is now facing a test of its own, as constituents are left to wonder whether their representatives are hard at work in the district or simply hard to find.