Legislators on Capitol Hill this year brought the nation a government shutdown and, well, not much else. While 2014 shows no signs of improvement, a review of 2013 shows it couldn’t get much worse.

SLOW LEGISLATING

Congress continued its streak of unproductivity during 2013. Lawmakers passed only 72 bills that became law by late December, ranking among the lowest total ever. Polls showed Congress slipped below car salesmen in popularity.