U.S. Representative Robert E. Andrews (D-New Jersey) is resigning from Congress, and who can blame him. It’s not like he was getting anything done. Literally.

During the 23 years he’s served in the House, Andrews authored 646 bills, more than any other lawmaker who arrived at the same time as him.

And not a single one became law.

Zero for 646.

The Washington Post described Andrews as “America’s least successful lawmaker of the past two decades.”

Virtually all of his ideas were unpopular with his House colleagues, who approved only four of his bills. But even those four, when they went on to the Senate, died.

The Post reported that Andrews tackled issues ranging from children’s pajamas to commemorative coins to trade duties on licorice.

He claims that many of his proposals—more than a hundred—were copied into larger bills that became law, proving that his time on Capitol Hill wasn’t a complete waste.

His resignation takes effect in two weeks. After that he’ll join the law firm Dilworth Paxson.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Andrews Proposed 646 Bills, Passed 0: Worst Record of Past 20 Years (by  David A. Fahrenthold, Washington Post)

Congress Set to Break Record for Passing Fewest Laws…2 per Month (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Current Congress Has Passed Fewer Bills than any Since at Least the 1940s (by Matt Bewig, AllGov)