The U.S. Congress is facing a constitutional crisis as its traditional power and authority continue to erode. With the government shutdown dragging on, lawmakers from both major parties are increasingly worried that this steady loss of legislative prerogative could permanently undermine the institution’s role in representative democracy. A concerned Republican congressman lamented that the current situation ‘feels like we have given, up,’ signaling deep alarm over the potential long-term consequences for the U.S. political system.