Congress (legislative)

Definition

Congress is part of America's legislative branch made up two houses - Senate & House Representatives. It's responsible for making federal laws, declaring war, approving treaties and conducting investigations.

Analogy

Think of Congress as the scriptwriters for a movie. They write (create laws) what happens in the story (country), but they need approval from the director (President) and sometimes even the critics (Supreme Court).

Related terms

Bicameralism: This is a system where legislative power is divided into two separate assemblies or chambers - Senate & House of Representatives.

Filibuster: A tactic used in Senate to delay or prevent vote on bill by extending debate on it.

Enumerated Powers: These are specific powers granted to Congress by Constitution such as power to tax, coin money, declare war etc.