WASHINGTON - As the partial federal government shutdown enters its third week in the U.S., a new poll is revealing how Americans feel about Congress .

These findings are from Gallup’s Oct. 1-16, 2025, poll that began on the first day of the government shutdown.

Approval rating of Congress declines

By the numbers:

According to the survey, Americans’ approval rating of Congress has dropped to the teens, declining 11 percentage points to 15%, similar to approval a year ago. Nearly four in five U.S. adults, 79%, now disapprove.

The 11-point drop is owed largely to a sharp decline among Republicans and, to a lesser degree, independents. Amid the government shutdown, Republicans’ approval sunk 21 points, and independents’ was down nine points. At 7% last month, Democrats’ approval of

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