Huge majority dissatisfied with Congress

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PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 16 (UPI) -- An overwhelming majority think Congress is doing the worst job Gallup said it has ever measured, survey results released Tuesday indicate.

A resounding 84 percent of Americans said they disapprove of the job Congress is doing, while just 13 percent said they approve, tying the all-time low approval of Congress measured in December, Gallup said.

Gallup said the results were based on a poll taken since the government reached agreement on a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling and lower the underlying debt and deficit after protracted and contentious negotiations between President Obama and congressional leaders.

When Gallup measured Congress' job approval rating in early July, 18 percent approved of the job congressional members were doing and 77 percent disapproved.

In recent years, Americans have been become increasingly less kind when rating Congress' job performance, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said. The average approval rating was 19 percent in 2008, 2010 and so far in 2011.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,008 adults conducted Thursday through Sunday. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.