Members of the House of Representatives are openly debating whether staying in Congress is still worth it. The salary is good, the title carries weight, but many say the job has turned into a nonstop fight that leaves little room for real work.
The latest shock came from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose abrupt resignation set off a wave of private conversations among Republicans. Her decision forced colleagues to ask themselves why they remain in a place defined more by conflict than legislation.
The number of lawmakers heading for the exit keeps rising. 41 members have already said they will step down at the end of their term. Others say they are thinking about it. The pay may be $174,000 a year, but the daily environment is wearing people down.
Some members say recent events pushed them close to walking out early. Rep. Don Bacon said he was “so angry” at the Trump administration’s twenty eight point Russia Ukraine peace plan that he “thought about” resigning before his term ends. The White House did not comment on his remarks.
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A different House Republican told Axios they are not likely to resign but admitted “the thought has crossed my mind” and added “I know I’m not the only one.” That feeling reflects a wider frustration inside a chamber with almost no margin for error.
Work in Washington has slowed to a crawl. Since July, lawmakers have been in the capital only for brief stretches. When they returned from a long recess, they found most of their time consumed by punitive resolutions aimed at their own colleagues instead of bills that affect the public.
Because leadership struggles to move legislation, members from both parties now use procedural tools like discharge petitions to force votes. Speaker Mike Johnson would prefer to curb these tactics, but with such a narrow majority, he has little room to enforce stricter rules.
Tensions have climbed even higher due to a surge in threats. After the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, many lawmakers said the atmosphere felt more dangerous. Rep. Tim Burchett said the threats “take a toll on people” and are becoming a major factor in resignations.
Retiring Rep. Jared Golden and Greene both said rising political violence helped shape their decisions. Greene went further, saying Congress has been “sidelined by Johnson under full obedience” to the White House. Rep. Victoria Spartz backed her up and wrote on X “I can’t blame her for leaving this institution that has betrayed the American people.”
Johnson has long said that working with a razor thin majority makes everything harder. Last December he put it plainly when he said “We have nothing to spare.” His warning has only grown more accurate as the list of departing members gets longer.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab
