--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Congress has become so dysfunctional that…" description: "\"Congress has become so dysfunctional that more and more of a burden is placed on the agencies to fill in the gaps. And the gaps get bigger and bigger b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/barack-obama-17_agency_congress-has-become-so-dysfunctional-tha_722244.jpg" --- # Congress has become so dysfunctional that more and more of… ![“Congress has become so dysfunctional that more and more of a burden is placed on the agencies to fill in the gaps. And the gaps get bigger and bigger because they're not constantly refreshed and tweaked.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/barack-obama-17_agency_congress-has-become-so-dysfunctional-tha_722244.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/barack-obama-17_agency_congress-has-become-so-dysfunctional-tha_722244.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/barack-obama-17_agency_congress-has-become-so-dysfunctional-tha_722244.jpg) > “Congress has become so dysfunctional that more and more of a burden is placed on the agencies to fill in the gaps. And the gaps get bigger and bigger because they're not constantly refreshed and tweaked.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Congressional gridlock shifts responsibility to agencies, causing outdated and expanding gaps in governance. **In simple terms:** Government failures push work to agencies, widening gaps. Key Takeaway Address agency gaps proactively. Themes government efficiency agency policy Mood concerned critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - budget planning - regulatory updates - public service delivery - policy reform Key Concepts public administration institutional inertia Questions to Reflect On - How can agencies stay adaptable? - What reforms can reduce reliance on agencies? A Different Perspective Agency capacity may be limited, widening systemic change needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agencies Gaps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agencies-gaps-5673562/) [Agency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agency/) [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Congress Dysfunctional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress-dysfunctional-342711/) [Dysfunctional Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-burden-5673564/) [Gaps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaps/) [Gaps Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaps-bigger-5673563/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [Congress is dysfunctional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-filner/congress-is-dysfunctional/) [Bob Filner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-filner/) > [ I think there were two messages in last year's election. One is pretty obvious. People were mad as hell at the president \[Barack Obama\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-think-there-were-two-messages-in-last-year-s-election-one-is-pretty/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [The Congress is a dysfunctional institution; its broken. One of our three branches of government is broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bernstein/the-congress-is-a-dysfunctional-institution-its-broken-one-of-our/) [Carl Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-bernstein/) > [The Congress is a dysfunctional institution; it's broken. One of our three branches of government is broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bernstein/the-congress-is-a-dysfunctional-institution-it-s-broken-one-of-our/) [Carl Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-bernstein/) > [To me the question right now is: How do I close that first three-quarters of the achievement gap, education gap, wealth gap? What gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/to-me-the-question-right-now-is-how-do-i-close-that-first-three/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ The criminal-justice system is, obviously, the sole source of racial tension in this country \[USA\] or the key institution to resolving the opportunity gap.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-criminal-justice-system-is-obviously-the-sole-source-of-racial/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The program grew out of a desire to address a gap identified after 9/11 ... The program does not involve the NSA examining the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-program-grew-out-of-a-desire-to-address-a-gap-identified-after-9/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Theoretically, you can make, obviously, a powerful argument that centuries of slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination are the primary cause for all those gaps. 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I think when people Photoshop things, all of a sudden you're like, 'That's not even me anymore.' It takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-aldridge/i-honestly-don-t-like-photoshop-i-think-when-people-photoshop-things/) [Lily Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-aldridge/) > [No matter how strong the storm, how hard the rain and how vicious the wind there is always a gap in the clouds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-greenhalgh/no-matter-how-strong-the-storm-how-hard-the-rain-and-how-vicious-the/) [Ben Greenhalgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-greenhalgh/) > [“A word is not filling in the gaps, but the fertilization of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-word-is-not-filling-in-the-gaps-but-the-fertilization-of-silence/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Agency quotes > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. 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The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In 1949 there was a new thing called Television, to which my agency and advisers opposed as a performance medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/in-1949-there-was-a-new-thing-called-television-to-which-my-agency/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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