Ask the average American how his or her daily life is affected by Congress, and you would probably get a pretty short answer, and perhaps an unfavorable comment or two about how Congress really doesn't do much. You would also likely find that the younger your respondent, the shorter the list.

How has the work of Congress affected your life today? In the past week? Year? This section looks at the question itself and presents some key legislative accomplishments that are so woven into our lives that they are almost invisible unless someone points them out.