Republicans have controlled the budget through the house of representatives for 18 of the last 25 years. Can't pass any kind of programs if the branch in charge of funding anything doesn't fund the programs.
I know, but.... remember last month how basically the entire country agreed that the health industry was terrible and needed to be reformed? And remember how the Democrats did absolutely nothing, despite still controlling the presidency and the senate?
Even if they couldn't pass a program, they still could have controlled the narrative and set expectations and made demands for the start of the upcoming Trump presidency. Instead they just let the opportunity pass.