Fact Check: Is Mike Johnson's claim current Congress is most productive in 80 years true?

WASHINGTON, DC: Ahead of the much-anticipated midterm elections, Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson claimed that the current Congress is the most productive in 80 years. The claim drew mixed reactions among online users, with many believing it while others questioned its authenticity, prompting a verification.

Claim: Current Congress is the most productive Congress

On September 10, while speaking at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Johnson claimed that the ongoing 119th Congress, scheduled to end in January next year, has been "the most productive Congress in 80 years."

“The media won't tell you this, but this has been one of the most productive Congresses in the history of the institution since 1789. In the House, we passed over 900 pieces of legislation, and that includes the Save America Act four times. It's been the most productive Congress in 80 years, and we're not done yet,” the Speaker said.

The clip of him making the statement was widely shared on several social media platforms, with many appearing to remain skeptical of the claim while a few others praised him, prompting a fact check.

Fact Check: The claim is false

However, based on Snopes's metrics, the 119th Congress was not as productive as two of its predecessors; therefore, the claim is rated false.

According to Congress.gov, the House of Representatives has passed or agreed upon 922 pieces of legislation as of this writing, while it passed or agreed upon 995 pieces of Legislation during the 118th Congress and 1127 during the 117th Congress. 

Although the current Congress could surpass the previous two Congresses by the end, it is still unlikely to beat prior Congresses from the past 80 years, as measured by the number of bills passed or agreed upon by the House of Representatives.

Donald Trump warns of Republican loss in midterm election

The speaker’s claim came ahead of the midterm elections in November, during which President Donald Trump warned that a Republican Party loss could affect how he would further handle the war with Iran, stating the loss could make him “much more angry” and that he would “just take care of business.” 

“Well, I think a lot of people think if we lose, then I'll be much more angry and I'll just take care of business. You know, it's another way of doing it. Either way, they lose,” Trump said.