By U.S. Rep. Albio Sires

The president claims that Democrats in the House don’t do anything. That is a flat out lie. Since January, when the 116th Congress began, the House of Representatives has passed 475 pieces of legislation and our committees are in the process of reviewing hundreds more.

We’ve passed legislation to lower drug costs, ensure that the minimum wage becomes a livable wage, close dangerous loopholes in our background check system, provide disaster relief for Americans suffering in the wake of natural disasters, and much more.

Unfortunately, many of these bills end up languishing in Sen. Mitch McConnell’s legislative purgatory. By not bringing them to the Senate floor for a vote, he is blocking important legislation from even being considered. Among the House passed bills currently stalled in the Senate are:

H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which would ensure clean and fair elections and reform our political system

H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for eligible DACA and TPS recipients who contribute to America everyday

H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act, is another step in the fight to ensure equal pay for equal work

H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would make background checks universal so that dangerous individuals cannot obtain guns

H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, would make sure we honor our commitments in the Paris Climate Agreement

H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act, brings federal law into line with New Jersey’s plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2024

H.R. 748, the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act, would repeal the “Cadillac Tax” so that American families don’t have to pay even more for health care

H.R. 840, the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act, expands a pilot program so that veterans have access to a safe, cost-free child care option when they have VA medical appointments.

H.R. 1500, the Consumers First Act, would restore the enforcement powers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau so that it can protect Americans from financial marketplace abuses.

H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, would build on VAWA to address domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes while ensuring survivors have access to essential support services.

H.R. 2722, the Securing America’s Federal Elections (SAFE) Act, is an election security bill that would fund updates to our election system so we are protected from foreign influence.

These are just a few of the bills that could make a big difference in the lives of Americans across the country if only they were given the opportunity to be voted on. Our primary responsibility is crafting legislation that will improve the lives of our constituents and we will continue to carry out this responsibility even as we conduct an impeachment inquiry.

I would like to remind the president that just because you disagree with the work that we are doing, it does not mean we aren’t working hard for the American people.

Albio Sires (D) represents New Jersey’s Eighth Congressional district in Congress