Search
Showing results for “US Congress”
Jump to a topic
US CongressEstablished under Article I of the US Constitution, Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government, consisting of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Created by the Great Compromise of 1787, this bicameral structure balances population-based representation with equal representation for each state.
The House has 435 voting members, with seats apportioned by population and members elected every two years. The Senate has 100 members—two per state—serving staggered six-year terms. The chambers meet in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, and share responsibility for drafting, debating, and passing federal legislation.
Congress holds core powers, including the authority to tax and spend, oversight of the executive branch, and the power to impeach. The Senate's powers include confirming certain presidential appointments, ratifying treaties, and conducting impeachment trials for federal officials. Bills must pass both chambers before reaching the president. In recent decades, rising polarization, narrow majorities, and procedural hurdles—especially the Senate filibuster—have made passing legislation more difficult, contributing to legislative gridlock.Explore US Congress
What we've found
The religious affiliation of the 119th US CongressThe 535 men and women who will serve as legislators in the 119th Congress all hold some ultimate views on life, a marker of which is there religious affiliation. Pew Research presented the Congress' overall faith composition in a series of tables and charts, showing the number of Christian lawmakers has dropped, but at 87% of the Congress, is still disproportionately higher than the proportion of Christian adults in the US (62%). See more stats and facts here. Pew Research CenterTruth was the first Black woman honored with a bust in the US CapitolGetting Truth's bust into the Capitol took a decade of campaigning by the National Congress of Black Women. The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and then-Sen. Hillary Clinton and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2006. Read the resolutions of the Stamp Act CongressAdopted October 19, 1765, the resolutions argued that taxation without colonial consent violated the British constitution, that admiralty courts without juries subverted English liberties, and that paying the tax in hard currency was practically impossible. Each grievance was framed not as rebellion but as a defense of rights the colonists already believed they possessed. Teaching American HistoryThe US Commission on International Religious Freedom monitors and reports on religious persecutionUSCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal commission that tracks religious freedom conditions worldwide and provides policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 made religious liberty a formal US foreign policy priorityCongress enacted the International Religious Freedom Act to make promoting religious freedom abroad a stated goal of US foreign policy. The law established an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom and mandated that the State Department report annually on the status of religious freedom. Read the language in the Constitution that protects religious freedom in the USThe First Amendment's religion clauses include two provisions: the establishment clause and the free exercise clause. These two parts prevent the government from endorsing any specific religion and from interfering with the free practice of religion. Library of CongressUS Customs and Border Protection traditionally operates at ports of entry and along US bordersCBP manages security at official border crossings and patrols areas between ports of entry to prevent unauthorized crossings. View details of the agency's mission, organizational structure, and approach to managing the United States' physical borders. Congressional Research ServiceThe US never formally declared war in VietnamInstead of formally declaring war, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, granting President Johnson broad authority to use military force. The resolution became the legal basis for escalating US involvement without an official declaration of war. National ArchivesExplore the different experiences of immigrant communities arriving in the USImmigrant communities experienced varied paths to entry and assimilation in America, depending on their arrival time and context. This Library of Congress resource provides detailed accounts of the experiences of major immigrant groups, drawing on primary sources. Library of CongressStates are constitutionally mandated to draw their own congressional districtsUnder Article I, Section 4 of the US Constitution, state legislatures possess the authority to determine how congressional districts are drawn. However, Congress retains the power to alter these rules if it chooses to. Library of CongressMid-decade redistricting is historically rare in modern US historyStates have generally redrawn districts only once per decade following the census, with mid-decade redistricting occurring infrequently and usually prompted by court orders or unusual political circumstances. Congress.govSee the most oddly gerrymandered districts in the USBased on input from redistricting experts and political scientists, this resource identifies and ranks the most extreme congressional gerrymanders of the 2020s, examining how map design, cracking, and packing reduce competition and distort representation across states. The FulcrumPresidents are required to update Congress on the state of the country from 'time to time'Article II, Section 3 of the US Constitution says that the president "shall from time to time" give Congress information on the state of the union and recommend measures deemed "necessary and expedient," leaving the timing and format unspecified. National Constitution CenterCongress is passing fewer laws than in previous decadesA Reuters analysis shows that legislative output in the US Congress has declined as polarization deepens, bipartisan cooperation erodes, and lawmakers rely more on sprawling, must-pass spending bills rather than regular lawmaking. ReutersCongress can remove federal officials through impeachmentThe United States House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach federal officials. The United States Senate then conducts impeachment trials and decides whether to convict and remove them from office. US House of Representatives ArchivesAt the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Madison changed the draft language from Congress's power to "make" war to "declare" warThe change was deliberate: "make" war seemed to leave the president unable to defend the country against sudden attack, while "declare" preserved that defensive authority. The distinction between starting a war and responding to one has been debated ever since. US House of Representatives ArchivesCongress meets and legislates in the US Capitol buildingThe United States Capitol reflects neoclassical ideals drawn from ancient Greece and Rome. First opened to Congress in 1800 and repeatedly expanded over time, it remains the symbolic and functional home of both The House and The Senate. Architect of the CapitolThe Supreme Court blocked states from setting term limits for CongressIn US Term Limits v. Thornton (1995), the Supreme Court struck down state laws that tried to impose term limits on their congressional delegations. The court ruled such restrictions unconstitutional unless added through a federal amendment. Courts referee federalism disputes between Congress and the statesModern federalism is primarily worked out through litigation. The Supreme Court decides disputes in written opinions that explain when federal law preempts state authority, how far Congress's powers extend, and when states may resist. US Supreme CourtThe US Mint created a video to show kids how coins are madeThe video, made simple for children (or anyone who wants an easy-to-understand 101 video about the process coins go through to get in your wallet), outlines the entire process that a coin goes through in its lifetime, from Congress voting on new coins, to how coins are stamped, to their journey to a Reserve Bank. YouTubeThe Pearl Harbor attack led to the mass internment of Japanese AmericansIn the months after Pearl Harbor, the US forcibly removed and incarcerated about 120,000 Japanese Americans—two-thirds of them citizens. Driven by fear and racism, the policy is now recognized as a grave violation of civil rights. Densho: Japanese American Incarceration and Japanese InternmentUS intelligence failures contributed to the success of the Japanese attackDespite breaking Japan’s diplomatic codes, US agencies failed to integrate warnings, successfully track Japan’s carriers, or even believe a Hawaii strike was possible (they also had not cracked Japan’s naval codes). Missed signals, ignored reports and poor coordination led to one of the worst intelligence failures in US history. The National WWII Museum | New Orleans'Men and nature must work hand in hand. The throwing out of balance of the resources of nature throws out of balance also the lives of men.'- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) UC Santa BarbaraA part-time teacher in Maryland kickstarted Title IXWhen applying for a fill-time position at the University of Maryland, Bernice Sandler was told she "came on too strong" for a woman, leading her to research legal protections against gender discrimination. She found a 1967 Executive Order prohibiting federally funded institutions from discrimination and used it as the basis for a class action lawsuit that would eventually lead to Title IX. PBSTracking US spending this yearSee an up-to-date accounting of how much money the US federal government has spent this fiscal year. This helpful and interactive webpage from the US Treasury Department gives an expansive overview of how the government has spent its money and how spending trends have evolved over time. US Treasury Fiscal DataThe US government has shut down 22 times since 1976This resource breaks down every federal shutdown since 1976, showing how long each lasted and the budget disputes that caused them—revealing how routine funding failures have become in modern US politics. ThoughtCoThe debt ceiling is a legal cap on how much money the US government can borrowSet by Congress, the debt ceiling limits total federal borrowing. This guide explains why the cap was created, how it has evolved, and why raising or suspending it has become a recurring political flash point. TIMEThe Constitution gives Congress sweeping control over the federal budgetArticle I, Section 8's Spending Clause authorizes Congress to tax, pay debts, and promote the "common Defence and general Welfare," making it one of Congress's most powerful tools—and the constitutional foundation of federal budget control. Congress.govThe Declaration was also a list of grievancesThis article breaks down the Declaration’s 27 grievances against King George III, illustrating how they were intended not only to express colonial anger but also to justify rebellion and garner support abroad. HISTORYReview Congress's 2025 report on the history of US critical mineral policyFor decades, supply chains for critical minerals have grown increasingly vulnerable due to reliance on imports. In 2022, the US Geological Survey expanded the list of critical minerals to 50 to better reflect growing industrial needs, exacerbating this vulnerability. Congress.govExplore the nearly 1,000 laws, regulations, and provisions the court has held unconstitutional since Marbury v. MadisonOver more than two centuries, the Supreme Court has struck down nearly 1,000 federal, state, and local measures—exercising its authority to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution and shaping civil rights, the separation of powers, and the scope of government authority. US CongressA 1912 congressional bill attempted to prohibit fake photos in the USIn the 1800s, photographs were held up as indisputable resources of truth. But the photography industry devised ways to alter photos, resulting in the rise of fraudulent photos—from shots with celebrities to the turn-of-the-century version of fake nudes—prompting government intervention. FreethinkThe US officially adopted an income tax in 1913The US first levied income taxes during the Civil War, but modern income taxes became an American fixture in 1913. Two years earlier, Congress passed the 16th Amendment to give the government the right to tax individuals' and businesses' income. The US still technically levies the same federal income tax now as it did then—though it's evolved. InvestopediaThe debt ceiling is the threshold Congress sets for federal borrowingIf the US reaches this limit and Congress doesn’t pass a bill to raise it, the government cannot repay its debts. Suddenly, investors would lose assurance that the Treasury would make good on its securities, which have long been considered the safest type of investment. The Wall Street JournalThe US is one of two countries that abide by a predetermined borrowing limitWhen the Treasury hits this “debt ceiling,” Congress has to pass a bill increasing the borrowing threshold. Failure to do so may lead to a financial crisis. VoxAn overview of US tariff policyThis comprehensive report from the Congressional Research Service explores the evolving role of tariffs—from a major source of government revenue to a tool for trade and foreign policy—providing insights into current practices, legal foundations, and global trade dynamics. Congressional Research ServiceIn 1792, Congress established the first national mint to produce all the coins in the USAt the same time, the US also started producing the dollar, its first official currency. The US Mint has since issued coins throughout the country. Official Site of the United States MintSpacecraft remnants and human waste left behind on the moon add to the trash in spaceAs more countries reach the moon with successful probe landings and unsuccessful crashes, more materials are left behind, adding to the amount of trash that needs to be retrieved. A United Nations treaty declared the moon a common heritage of humanity, exempting any one country from exclusive responsibility for cleanup. PBS NewsRead through the actual text of the US ConstitutionThis helpful guide from the US Congress includes annotations that provide valuable insights into the background, crafting, and legacy of each article in the document. Additionally, the resource offers accessible legal analysis and interpretations. Library of CongressThe first US stock exchange dates back to the 1790s in PhiladelphiaOnly two years after that stock exchange in Philadelphia started, the largest stock exchange in the US to date was created: the New York Stock Exchange. Library of CongressCongress has the power to enact laws related to bankruptcy, thanks to the US ConstitutionIt has done just that since 1800. This legislation, which outlines the various types of bankruptcy filings, has evolved over time. The most recent iteration is the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, which introduced Chapter 11 filings in an effort to make the process easier for businesses and individuals. Corporate Finance InstituteThis is the longest the US has gone without a minimum wage increase since 1938The US government hasn’t increased the federal minimum wage in more than a decade. Some people argue it's wrong that Congress needs to debate whether or not to raise the minimum wage—and that perhaps these raises should be tied to inflation. VoxUS lawmakers banned TikTok in 2024 for security purposesAfter years of concerns about ByteDance Ltd.'s affiliation with the Chinese government, Congress passed a bill banning TikTok in the US. The main argument favoring the ban is that Beijing could use the wildly popular app to run foreign influence campaigns. Americans opposed to the ban say the law will negatively impact the livelihoods for TikTok shops and influencers. TIMEIn 2019, Congress passed the Secure Act to reform key aspects of the US tax codeKey Secure Act provisions included raising the age at which mandatory distributions take effect (to increase saving), allowing larger catch-up contributions for older individuals, and allowing employers to directly match contributions in a Roth 401(k). TIMEThe central bank was designed to operate free of short-term political influence to prevent the Fed from making disastrous policy decisionsAlthough the Fed Chair and the six other Governors of the Board are appointed by the US president and approved by Congress, the Fed is not funded by congressional appropriation, and its board members are appointed to lengthy 14-year terms. Investopedia33% of Americans say they don’t know very much about what the Fed doesWhile most Americans grasp the central bank’s impact on curbing inflation, they don’t know that the Fed is tasked with what is called a “dual mandate” to provide price stability and maximum employment. Furthermore, few understand the Fed is independent—it does not answer to Congress or the US president. IpsosCongress regrets discriminatory laws targeting Asian immigrantsIn 2011, Congress expressed regrets about discriminatory laws that targeted Asian immigrants, such as the 1875 Page Act. Click here to read one of the twin bills and learn more about the laws in question. US CongressWhat was life like as a slave in the US?Over 2,500 former slaves were interviewed by writers and journalists in the late 1930s as part of the US Federal Writer's Project. The collection recorded images and firsthand verbal accounts of life as a slave, eight of which are highlighted in this article at the Library of Congress. See the humanity in each of these individuals with their firsthand accounts. Library of CongressCongress often uses stopgap bills to keep the government runningWhen lawmakers fail to pass a full budget, they rely on continuing resolutions to fund the government temporarily. This guide explains how CRs are enacted, how they function, and why they disrupt normal operations. Bipartisan Policy CenterA primary source timeline of US history (1600-1968)Compiled by the Library of Congress, this archive walks through important events in US history through civil rights era, while providing primary sources to explore. Library of Congress
Try another search?