The public’s approval of Congress is souring amid the government shutdown, according to a new Gallup survey.
The poll, released Wednesday, found that just 15 percent of respondents approve of the legislature’s performance, with 79 percent disapproving and 6 percent offering no opinion.
That marks a decline in approval of 11 percentage points relative to last month. Congress’s approval rating has exceeded 35 percent in the survey just once — in March 2021 — in the last 15 years.
The branch’s high-water mark came in October 2001, when 84 percent of respondents approved of its performance amid national unity after the 9/11 attacks.
President Trump’s approval rating, meanwhile, is 41 percent according to the same survey.
The low favorability rating comes as the government shutdown hit 22 days, making it the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history. The longest stalemate occurred across 35 days in December 2018 and January 2019, though that shutdown did not cover the entire government.
The president met with GOP senators for lunch at the White House on Tuesday. The Senate is expected to vote for the 12th time Wednesday evening on a House-passed funding bill to reopen the government, after Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) held the floor for over 20 hours.
Some Senate Republicans are discussing changing the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold to end the shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) does not support such a move, however.
Democrats, meanwhile, are not budging on their push to include a permanent extension of subsidies offered under the Affordable Care Act in any proposal to reopen the government.
A group of House Republicans in swing districts urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday to “immediately” address the expiring credits once the shutdown ends.
