United States Congress

Congress can enact or modify federal statutes to change legal rights or remedies that are shaped by existing Supreme Court precedents.

Legislation enacted by the United States Congress can modify existing federal law to change whether previously sealed investigative or grand jury materials may be released to the public.

A 2025 NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that respondents reported little to no confidence in major U.S. institutions including Congress, the media, political parties, the Supreme Court, and the presidency.

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have engaged in sustained advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill to encourage lawmakers to pass bills aimed at preventing sex trafficking.

The United States Congress can pass individual appropriations bills that fund specific parts of the federal government (for example, food assistance programs, veterans programs, and the legislative branch) while extending or delaying funding for other areas.

The United States Congress holds the constitutional authority to determine and authorize federal spending.

The power to impose taxes on Americans is a core constitutional power of the United States Congress.

The United States Congress includes a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Some U.S. senators assert that engaging United States forces in hostilities should follow a full briefing to Congress, a public debate, and a congressional authorization vote, consistent with the U.S. Constitution.

The 'Gang of Eight' in the U.S. Congress consists of the majority and minority leaders of both the House and the Senate and the chairs and vice-chairs of the congressional intelligence committees.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States has the authority to veto legislation passed by Congress.

Congressional national security committees in the United States have historically been among the most bipartisan committees in Congress.

Members of both political parties in Congress have historically guarded access to classified national security information because control of governing power can change quickly.

The United States Congress can use war powers resolutions to prohibit or constrain military strikes in specified areas unless Congress authorizes those actions.

U.S. federal law allows Congress to terminate a presidential national emergency declaration and enables members of the minority party to force votes on resolutions to terminate such emergencies.

The U.S. Constitution assigns Congress responsibilities related to declaring war and exercising oversight of matters of war and peace.

Members of Congress, including U.S. Senators, may request access to classified briefings and legal opinions related to military operations as part of their oversight functions.

The Register of Copyrights is the head of the U.S. Copyright Office, which is housed within the Library of Congress and serves as an adviser to the United States Congress on copyright-related matters.

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has stated that a president should obtain congressional approval before initiating a war or authorizing major military strikes.

In prior U.S. federal government shutdowns, concerns that military personnel might not be paid have historically created political pressure on Congress to resolve funding impasses.

A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary funding measure that Congress can pass to keep federal government operations funded until a specified future date when regular appropriations are enacted.

The U.S. federal budget is organized by fiscal years (for example, fiscal year 2025), and Congress can pass legislation such as continuing resolutions to temporarily extend prior fiscal year funding levels.

The United States federal government is funded on a fiscal year basis, requiring Congress to pass appropriations or other funding measures for each fiscal year (for example, fiscal year 2026).

A 2025 CBS News poll found that about half of self-identified Democrats said their party's positions were worth a government shutdown, fewer self-identified Republicans said the same about the GOP, and both major parties had net-negative (underwater) favorability ratings with Republicans slightly more favorable than Democrats.

A proposed joint resolution text stated that Congress would direct the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against any organization designated on or after February 20, 2025, as a foreign terrorist organization, specially designated global terrorist, or a non-state organization engaged in the promotion, trafficking, and distribution of illegal drugs, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force.

The United States Congress can pass legislation that would require the Department of Justice to release files related to a federal investigation.

The Respect for Marriage Act, enacted in 2022, repealed the Defense of Marriage Act and provides federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages.

On January 6, 2021, a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol during a joint session of Congress that was convened to certify the 2020 presidential election results.

Congress has at times enacted measures to protect military pay during federal shutdowns, including the Pay Our Military Act in 2013 and legislative or appropriations actions in 2019 that ensured pay for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps while excluding the Coast Guard.

Debate over the Affordable Care Act has been a persistent source of political contention in the United States since its enactment in 2010, influencing elections, narrow congressional votes, and legislative standoffs.

The U.S. Congress approved the current national broadcast ownership limit (the 39% cap) in 2004.

In 2004, the U.S. Congress approved the current national broadcast ownership limit that caps any single station owner's aggregate reach at 39% of U.S. households.

Nydia Velázquez became the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the United States Congress when she took office in 1993.

Nydia Velázquez has been a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus during her tenure in the United States Congress.

Congress granted home-rule powers to the District of Columbia in 1973 through legislation that devolved certain local governance authorities to D.C.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the U.S. president to consult with Congress before introducing U.S. armed forces into hostilities unless there is a declaration of war or other congressional authorization; if Congress does not authorize the use of military force, the president must withdraw forces within 90 days; the law was enacted in 1973 in response to the Vietnam War as a check on presidential war-making powers.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, established in 1910, is an independent federal agency that advises the President and Congress on design plans for monuments, memorials, coins, and federal buildings.

The United States Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war.

The United States Congress can pass special appropriations or standalone bills to provide pay or funding for specific groups or services.

A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary appropriations measure that the United States Congress can pass to provide short-term funding for federal agencies and avoid a government shutdown.

A United States federal government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to enact appropriations bills or a continuing resolution, resulting in suspension or reduction of non-essential federal government operations.

During a lapse in federal appropriations (a government shutdown), Congress must provide funding before payroll processing cutoffs to avoid service members missing scheduled paychecks.

United States congressional committees, including the House Judiciary Committee, have authority to compel individuals to testify before the committee as part of congressional oversight and investigations.

The U.S. Constitution grants the U.S. Congress the authority to declare war.

Congress can consider individual annual appropriations bills that fund specific federal departments or programs, such as a year-long appropriations bill to fund the Department of Defense.

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) provides a statutory mechanism that can be used by members of Congress to force votes challenging certain presidential emergency-related actions.

A congressionally approved SNAP contingency fund exists to provide benefit payments when regular appropriations for the program lapse.

Members of the U.S. Congress can introduce a War Powers Resolution to seek a vote that would limit or terminate the president's use of military forces engaging in hostilities.

Federal law establishes that in election years the uniform day for selecting candidates for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and President is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing-arts venue located in Washington, D.C.

The United States Congress funds the federal government annually through 12 separate appropriations bills.

The United States Congress can pass short-term funding measures (continuing resolutions) to temporarily extend funding for federal agencies while longer-term appropriations are negotiated.

Sales of advanced American-made military technology to foreign partners require approval from the U.S. Congress and can be constrained by production bottlenecks.

Congressional committees can refer individuals they investigate to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution, and the Department of Justice is not legally required to pursue prosecution based on those referrals.

Only the United States Congress has the authority to abolish the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. federal death penalty is a punishment authorized by Congress for certain federal offenses.