Congressional Approval at 12 Percent

Congress will be back in session in just a few weeks, but the American people won't be cheering for their return to Capitol Hill. A new Wall Street Journal poll shows Congress has matched an all time low approval rating of just 12 percent.

The survey of registered voters found that just 12% approve of the work lawmakers do on Capitol Hill, on par with voter sentiment in October 2008 when America plunged into an economic crisis. Another 82% in the new poll said they disapprove. The WSJ/NBC News poll has been asking the question since 1990.

The 12 percent approval is a low for the history of the WSJ poll. Other polling outlets, such as Gallup polling, have shown Congressional approval to be as low at 10 percent in the past.