Congress approval was 16% in September 2026; the record low is 9%

Source. Gallup, Congress and the Public, 400 readings, 1974 to 2026

Method and data

Method. The wording is “Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?” Gallup’s table does not state the population or mode of its readings; its April 1–15, 2026 poll was a telephone survey of 1,001 adults aged 18 and older. The March 3, 1992 row carries a “^” marker that the page does not define. Each reading is plotted at the first day of its field period. Readings are sparse before 1995 (no more than six a year, none in 1984, 1985 or 1989), so 13 readings that follow a gap of more than 0.6 year are not joined to the one before and are marked with dots; the last such gap ends in February 1993.

Field dates	Approve (%)	Disapprove (%)	No opinion (%)	Gallup marker
1974 Apr 12-15	30	47	23
1974 Aug 16-19	47	34	19
1974 Oct 11-14	35	43	22
1975 Feb 28-Mar 3	32	50	18
1975 Apr 18-21	38	48	14
1975 Jun 27-30	29	54	17
1975 Oct 31-Nov 3	28	54	18
1976 Jan 23-26	24	58	18
1977 Mar 25-28	36	42	22
1977 May 20-23	40	40	20
1977 Jun 3-6	34	42	24
1977 Aug 5-8	36	44	20
1977 Sep 9-12	35	44	21
1978 Sep 8-11	29	49	22
1979 Jun 1-4	19	61	20
1980 Jun 13-16	25	56	19
1981 Jun 19-22	38	40	22
1982 Jun 11-14	29	54	17
1983 Apr 29-May 2	33	43	24
1986 Apr 11-14	42	37	21
1987 Aug 24-Sep 2	42	49	9
1988 Sep 9-11	42	42	16
1990 Oct 11-14	28	65	7
1990 Oct 18-21	23	64	13
1990 Oct 25-28	24	68	8
1990 Nov 2-4	26	63	11
1991 Jul 25-28	32	53	15
1991 Oct 10-13	40	54	6
1992 Mar 3	18	78	3	^
1993 Feb 26-28	27	54	19
1993 Jul 19-21	24	65	11
1993 Aug 8-10	23	69	8
1993 Nov 2-4	24	69	8
1994 Feb 26-28	28	66	6
1994 Mar 25-27	29	63	8
1994 Jul 15-17	27	65	8
1994 Oct 7-9	21	73	6
1994 Oct 22-25	23	70	7
1994 Dec 28-30	23	66	11
1995 Jan 16-18	33	52	15
1995 Feb 3-5	38	53	9
1995 Feb 24-26	35	53	12
1995 Mar 17-19	32	59	9
1995 Mar 27-29	31	61	8
1995 Apr 17-19	37	54	9
1995 May 11-14	34	57	9
1995 Jul 7-9	35	55	10
1995 Aug 28-30	30	60	10
1995 Sep 22-24	30	61	9
1996 Apr 9-10	35	57	8
1996 May 9-12	30	65	5
1996 Aug 5-7	39	49	12
1996 Oct 26-29	34	51	15
1997 Jan 10-13	41	49	10
1997 Jan 31-Feb 2	36	51	13
1997 Feb 24-26	37	48	15
1997 Apr 18-20	30	59	11
1997 May 6-7	32	58	10
1997 Jul 25-27	34	57	9
1997 Aug 22-25	41	48	11
1997 Oct 27-29	36	53	11
1997 Dec 18-21	39	52	9
1998 Jan 16-18	42	47	11
1998 Jan 30-Feb 1	56	35	9
1998 Feb 13-15	57	33	10
1998 Apr 17-19	49	40	11
1998 May 8-10	44	48	8
1998 Sep 11-12	55	36	9
1998 Oct 6-7	44	48	8
1998 Oct 9-12	47	46	7
1998 Oct 29-Nov 1	44	47	9
1998 Nov 13-15	41	54	5
1998 Dec 15-16	42	52	6
1999 Jan 15-17	50	46	4
1999 Feb 12-13	41	54	5
1999 Apr 13-14	45	47	8
1999 Jun 11-13	41	53	6
1999 Jul 13-14	39	51	10
1999 Sep 23-26	37	56	7
2000 Jan 7-10	51	42	7
2000 May 18-21	39	52	9
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5	48	42	10
2000 Oct 6-9	49	42	9
2000 Dec 2-4	56	34	10
2001 Jan 10-14	50	40	10
2001 Feb 1-4	53	32	15
2001 Mar 5-7	55	28	17
2001 Apr 6-8	55	32	13
2001 May 10-14	49	34	17
2001 Jun 11-17	51	34	15
2001 Jul 19-22	49	37	14
2001 Aug 3-5	47	42	11
2001 Aug 16-19	50	37	13
2001 Sep 7-10	42	44	14
2001 Oct 11-14	84	10	6
2001 Nov 8-11	73	19	8
2001 Dec 6-9	72	19	9
2002 Jan 7-9	62	29	9
2002 Feb 4-6	62	28	10
2002 Mar 4-7	63	28	9
2002 Apr 8-11	57	34	9
2002 May 6-9	57	33	10
2002 Jun 3-6	52	38	10
2002 Jul 9-11	54	36	10
2002 Jul 26-28	53	36	11
2002 Aug 5-8	46	43	11
2002 Sep 5-8	52	40	8
2002 Oct 3-6	50	40	10
2002 Nov 11-14	47	39	14
2002 Dec 5-8	50	40	10
2003 Jan 13-16	49	40	11
2003 Feb 3-6	50	39	11
2003 Mar 3-5	48	44	8
2003 Apr 7-9	58	33	9
2003 May 5-7	49	44	7
2003 Jun 12-15	50	41	9
2003 Jul 7-9	49	45	6
2003 Aug 4-6	45	46	9
2003 Sep 8-10	40	53	7
2003 Oct 6-8	41	51	8
2003 Nov 3-5	43	51	6
2003 Dec 11-14	43	50	7
2004 Jan 12-15	48	45	7
2004 Feb 9-12	41	51	8
2004 Mar 8-11	42	51	7
2004 Apr 5-8	43	51	6
2004 May 2-4	41	52	7
2004 Jun 3-6	41	52	7
2004 Jul 8-11	40	53	7
2004 Aug 9-11	40	52	8
2004 Sep 13-15	41	52	7
2004 Oct 11-14	40	51	9
2004 Nov 7-10	41	52	7
2004 Dec 5-8	41	50	9
2005 Jan 3-5	43	48	9
2005 Feb 7-10	45	48	7
2005 Mar 7-10	37	53	10
2005 Apr 4-7	38	54	8
2005 May 2-5	35	57	8
2005 Jun 6-8	34	59	7
2005 Jul 7-10	36	58	6
2005 Aug 8-11	36	58	6
2005 Sep 12-15	35	59	6
2005 Oct 13-16	29	64	7
2005 Nov 7-10	29	63	8
2005 Dec 5-8	29	63	8
2006 Jan 9-12	27	67	7
2006 Feb 6-9	25	65	10
2006 Mar 13-16	27	65	8
2006 Apr 10-13	23	70	7
2006 May 8-11	21	71	8
2006 Jun 1-4	27	63	10
2006 Jul 6-9	29	61	10
2006 Aug 7-10	27	65	8
2006 Sep 7-10	29	63	8
2006 Oct 6-8	24	68	7
2006 Oct 9-12	23	71	6
2006 Oct 20-22	26	67	6
2006 Nov 2-5	26	63	11
2006 Nov 9-12	26	67	7
2006 Dec 11-14	21	74	5
2007 Jan 15-18	35	56	9
2007 Feb 1-4	37	55	8
2007 Mar 11-14	28	64	8
2007 Apr 2-5	33	60	7
2007 May 10-13	29	64	7
2007 Jun 11-14	24	71	5
2007 Jul 12-15	27	66	7
2007 Aug 13-16	18	76	6
2007 Sep 14-16	24	71	5
2007 Oct 4-7	23	71	6
2007 Oct 12-14	29	64	6
2007 Nov 11-14	20	69	11
2007 Dec 6-9	22	70	8
2008 Jan 4-6	23	71	6
2008 Feb 11-14	24	70	6
2008 Mar 6-9	21	71	8
2008 Apr 6-9	20	71	9
2008 May 8-11	18	76	6
2008 Jun 9-12	19	74	7
2008 Jul 10-13	14	75	10
2008 Aug 7-10	18	73	9
2008 Sep 8-11	18	77	6
2008 Oct 3-5	18	77	5
2008 Nov 13-16	19	74	7
2008 Dec 4-7	20	74	6
2009 Jan 9-11	19	76	5
2009 Feb 9-12	31	61	9
2009 Mar 5-8	39	54	7
2009 Apr 6-9	36	55	9
2009 May 7-10	37	57	7
2009 June 14-17	33	61	6
2009 July 10-12	32	54	14
2009 Aug 6-9	31	62	6
2009 Aug 31-Sep 2	31	63	6
2009 Oct 1-4	21	72	7
2009 Nov 5-8	26	68	6
2009 Dec 11-13	25	69	5
2010 Jan 8-10	24	71	5
2010 Feb 1-3	18	78	4
2010 Mar 4-7	16	80	4
2010 Apr 8-11	23	72	6
2010 May 3-6	21	73	6
2010 Jun 11-13	20	74	6
2010 Jul 8-11	20	73	7
2010 Aug 5-8	19	75	6
2010 Sep 13-16	18	77	5
2010 Oct 7-10	21	73	6
2010 Oct 28-31	21	73	6
2010 Nov 4-7	17	77	6
2010 Dec 10-12	13	83	4
2011 Jan 7-9	20	73	7
2011 Feb 2-5	23	71	5
2011 Mar 3-6	18	74	7
2011 Apr 7-11	17	77	6
2011 May 5-8	24	70	7
2011 Jun 9-12	17	76	7
2011 Jul 7-10	18	77	5
2011 Aug 11-14	13	84	4
2011 Sep 8-11	15	82	3
2011 Oct 6-9	13	81	6
2011 Nov 3-6	13	82	5
2011 Dec 15-18	11	86	3
2012 Jan 5-8	13	81	6
2012 Feb 2-5	10	86	4
2012 Mar 8-11	12	82	6
2012 Apr 9-12	17	79	4
2012 May 3-6	15	79	6
2012 Jun 7-10	17	79	4
2012 Jul 9-12	16	78	7
2012 Aug 9-12	10	83	7
2012 Sep 6-9	13	83	4
2012 Oct 15-16	21	69	11
2012 Nov 15-18	18	75	7
2012 Dec 14-17	18	76	5
2013 Jan 7-10	14	81	6
2013 Feb 7-10	15	81	4
2013 Mar 7-10	13	83	4
2013 Apr 4-7	15	79	6
2013 May 2-7	16	79	5
2013 Jun 1-4	17	78	5
2013 Jul 10-14	15	78	7
2013 Aug 7-11	14	81	5
2013 Sep 5-8	19	76	5
2013 Oct 3-6	11	85	4
2013 Nov 7-10	9	86	5
2013 Dec 5-8	12	85	3
2014 Jan 5-8	13	82	5
2014 Feb 6-9	12	83	6
2014 Mar 6-9	15	83	2
2014 Apr 3-6	13	83	3
2014 May 8-11	15	80	6
2014 Jun 5-8	16	81	3
2014 Jul 7-10	15	80	5
2014 Aug 7-10	13	83	4
2014 Sep 4-7	14	82	4
2014 Oct 12-15	14	82	4
2014 Oct 29-Nov 2	20	75	5
2014 Nov 6-9	15	79	6
2014 Dec 8-11	16	80	4
2015 Jan 5-8	16	76	8
2015 Feb 8-11	20	75	5
2015 Mar 5-8	18	75	7
2015 Apr 9-12	15	80	5
2015 May 6-10	19	77	5
2015 Jun 2-7	17	79	4
2015 Jul 8-12	17	78	5
2015 Aug 5-9	14	82	5
2015 Sep 9-13	14	83	2
2015 Oct 7-11	13	82	4
2015 Nov 4-8	11	86	3
2015 Dec 2-6	13	82	5
2016 Jan 6-10	16	80	4
2016 Feb 3-7	14	81	4
2016 Mar 2-6	13	84	3
2016 Apr 6-10	17	79	4
2016 May 4-8	18	78	4
2016 Jun 1-5	16	80	4
2016 Jul 13-17	13	83	4
2016 Aug 3-7	18	78	4
2016 Sep 7-11	20	76	5
2016 Oct 5-9	18	79	3
2016 Nov 9-13	19	74	7
2016 Dec 7-11	18	78	4
2017 Jan 4-8	19	76	5
2017 Feb 1-5	28	67	5
2017 Mar 1-5	24	67	9
2017 Apr 5-9	20	74	6
2017 May 3-7	20	74	6
2017 Jun 7-11	21	72	7
2017 Jul 5-9	20	74	7
2017 Aug 2-6	16	79	6
2017 Sep 6-10	16	80	5
2017 Oct 5-11	13	80	7
2017 Nov 2-8	13	81	6
2017 Dec 4-11	17	78	5
2018 Jan 2-7	20	75	5
2018 Feb 1-10	15	81	4
2018 Mar 1-8	15	79	6
2018 Apr 2-11	18	78	4
2018 May 1-10	17	79	4
2018 Jun 1-13	19	76	4
2018 Jul 1-11	17	77	6
2018 Aug 1-12	17	78	5
2018 Sep 4-12	19	76	5
2018 Oct 1-10	21	73	6
2018 Oct 15-28	21	74	6
2018 Nov 1-11	21	74	5
2018 Dec 3-12	18	75	7
2019 Jan 2-10	20	75	5
2019 Feb 1-10	21	76	3
2019 Mar 1-10	26	70	4
2019 Apr 1-9	20	77	3
2019 May 1-12	20	75	5
2019 Jun 3-16	19	78	3
2019 Jul 1-12	17	76	6
2019 Aug 1-14	17	79	5
2019 Sep 3-15	18	78	3
2019 Oct 1-13	25	70	5
2019 Nov 1-14	24	72	3
2019 Dec 2-15	27	68	4
2020 Jan 2-15	23	72	5
2020 Feb 3-16	23	74	3
2020 Mar 2-13	22	74	5
2020 Apr 1-14	30	66	3
2020 May 1-13	31	65	4
2020 May 28-Jun 4	25	71	5
2020 Jul 1-23	18	77	5
2020 Jul 30-Aug 12	21	75	4
2020 Aug 31-Sep 13	17	80	3
2020 Sep 30-Oct 15	19	77	4
2020 Nov 5-19	23	73	5
2020 Dec 1-17	15	82	3
2021 Jan 4-15	25	71	4
2021 Feb 3-18	35	62	2
2021 Mar 1-15	36	61	3
2021 Apr 1-21	33	62	5
2021 May 3-18	31	63	5
2021 Jun 1-18	26	71	3
2021 Jul 6-21	26	67	6
2021 Aug 2-17	28	69	3
2021 Sep 1-17	27	69	4
2021 Oct 1-19	21	75	4
2021 Nov 1-16	20	77	3
2021 Dec 1-16	23	73	4
2022 Jan 3-16	18	80	3
2022 Feb 1-17	20	75	5
2022 Mar 1-18	21	76	3
2022 Apr 1-19	20	76	4
2022 May 2-22	18	77	5
2022 Jun 1-20	16	82	3
2022 Jul 5-26	17	79	3
2022 Aug 1-23	22	76	3
2022 Sep 1-16	23	75	2
2022 Nov 9-Dec 2	22	73	5
2023 Jan 2-22	21	75	5
2023 Feb 1-23	18	78	4
2023 Mar 1-23	20	78	2
2023 Apr 3-25	16	81	3
2023 May 1-24	20	77	3
2023 Jun 1-22	20	76	4
2023 Jul 3-27	19	77	4
2023 Aug 1-23	19	78	4
2023 Sep 1-23	17	82	1
2023 Oct 2-23	13	84	3
2023 Nov 1-21	15	82	3
2023 Dec 1-20	15	82	3
2024 Jan 2-22	15	79	6
2024 Feb 1-20	12	83	5
2024 Mar 1-20	15	81	4
2024 Apr 1-22	16	80	5
2024 May 1-23	13	81	6
2024 Jun 3-23	16	79	5
2024 Jul 1-21	16	78	5
2024 Aug 1-20	19	76	5
2024 Sep 3-15	20	75	5
2024 Oct 1-12	16	77	7
2024 Nov 6-20	19	74	7
2024 Dec 2-18	17	77	6
2025 Jan 2-15	17	76	7
2025 Feb 3-16	29	65	6
2025 Mar 3-16	31	63	5
2025 Apr 1-14	28	67	5
2025 May 1-18	26	65	9
2025 Jun 2-19	23	71	5
2025 Jul 7-21	26	67	6
2025 Aug 1-20	24	70	6
2025 Sep 2-16	26	71	3
2025 Oct 1-16	15	79	6
2025 Nov 3-25	14	80	6
2025 Dec 1-15	17	80	4
2026 Jan 2-17	18	78	5
2026 Feb 2-16	16	80	4
2026 Mar 2-18	16	79	5
2026 Apr 1-15	10	86	3
2026 May 1-17	12	80	8
2026 Jun 1-15	15	79	6
2026 Jul 1-19	16	80	5
2026 Aug 3-24	17	78	5
2026 Sep 1-17	16	79	4

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