Though its critics claim the Bush administration is off to a lackadaisical start, they have picked the wrong target.

If speed is really what counts in Washington, they should zero in on Congress, which currently is setting new standards for lethargy.Just how slowly the lawmakers are moving can be seen from the recent report by Congressional Quarterly, which notes that the 101st session lags contemporary Congresses in several key measures of output: days met, bills passed and measures dealt with by committee.

By March 31, the Senate had held 27 days of sessions, compared with 47 days through the same period of 1977, 39 days in 1981 and 39 days in 1987. During this same period, the Senate passed 84 measures, compared with 130 in 1987, 91 in 1981 and 109 in 1977. Only 46 measures have been reported from Senate committees, compared with 72 in 1987, 62 in 1981 and 71 in 1977.

The record is similar in the House of Representatives. Through March 31, the House had met 30 days, compared with 41 in 1987, 43 in 1981 and 46 in 1977. Likewise, the House has passed 67 bills and resolutions, compared with 91 in 1987, 44 in 1981 and 151 in 1977. Its committees have reported 15 measures, compared with 33 in 1987, 13 in 1981 and 133 in 1977.

Though legislative activists stay up nights fretting about what they see as congressional lethargy, they worry needlessly. Instead, a case could be made that the more bills Congress passes, the more disruption it causes.

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In any event, Congress should be judged not on the basis of the quantity of bills it passes but on their quality. And there's still much to be said for Thomas Jefferson's notion that the best government is the least government.

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