Congressional attendance was up in 2025, in spite of off-year elections, a number of members beset with health crises and the political turmoil that marked President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. In a Senate newly under Republican control and a House held by the slimmest of GOP majorities, lawmakers cast more votes last year than any other year since the pandemic.
According to the most recent survey of floor votes, the participation rate of lawmakers casting votes across both chambers was 96.8 percent in 2025, an increase of more than 2 percentage points over 2024.
The increase may be partly attributable to the political dynamics of a thin majority, as well as historical trends that have seen slight dips in attendance during election years, according to CQ Roll Call’s annual vote studies. The campaign trail remained a key factor and some of last year’s most notable absences were among those running for other office, either in special elections or in preparation for early 2026 primaries.
