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What is the Congress of the United States?

It is the legislature of the United States, separated structurally from the executive and judicial branches of government. Established by the Constitution of the United States, it succeeded the unicameral congress created by the Articles of Confederation (1781). It consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Representation in the Senate is fixed at two senators per state. Until passage of the 17th Amendment (1913), senators were appointed by the state legislatures; since then they have been elected directly. In the House, representation is proportional to each state’s population; total membership is restricted (since 1912) to 435 members (the total rose temporarily to 437 following the admission of Hawaii and Alaska as states in 1959). Congressional business is processed by committees: bills are debated in committees in both houses, and reconciliation of the two resulting versions takes place in a conference committee. A presidential veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in each house. Congress’s constitutional powers include the setting and collecting of taxes, borrowing money on credit, regulating commerce, coining money, declaring war, raising and supporting armies, and making all laws necessary for the execution of its powers. All finance-related legislation must originate in the House; powers exclusive to the Senate include approval of presidential nominations, ratification of treaties, and adjudication of impeachments.

The term Congress also refers to the two sessions between each congressional election. For instance, the 1st Congress met from 1789 to 1791, and the 101st Congress met from 1989 to 1991. Although the House and Senate do most of their work independently of each other, they must eventually come together to pass all legislation. Bills that were debated as S. Res. 45 or H. Res. 230 become an act of Congress when passed.

REFERENCE: Britannica Concise Encyclopedia