Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government, vested with power to pass laws, levy taxes, declare war, regulate interstate commerce, and impeach federal officials. It consists of two chambers: the Senate (100 members, two per state) and the House of Representatives (435 members, apportioned by population). Both chambers must pass identical bills before legislation becomes law.
The Constitution grants Congress enumerated powers in Article I, Section 8, including taxation, spending, commerce regulation, and war declaration. Congress also holds the "necessary and proper" power to pass any laws reasonably required to execute its enumerated authorities. This expansive language has let Congress legislate on topics the Framers never explicitly mentioned, from environmental protection to telecommunications regulation.
Congress can only be as effective as its internal rules allow. When the majority and minority parties are polarized, internal dysfunction compounds external gridlock. The 118th Congress (2023-2025) passed fewer laws in its first year than any since the Nixon administration, illustrating how partisan disputes can paralyze even a majority-controlled chamber.
Congress controls the federal government''s core functions: taxation, spending, war power, and lawmaking. Control of Congress determines which laws pass, how much money agencies receive, and whether presidents face impeachment. Elections shift congressional control, dramatically reshaping policy direction.
People often think presidents are more powerful than Congress. In reality, the Constitution gives Congress more explicit power. Presidents execute laws Congress writes; Congress controls the budget Congress must approve; Congress can override vetoes and impeach presidents.
Congress controls the federal government''s core functions: taxation, spending, war power, and lawmaking. Control of Congress determines which laws pass, how much money agencies receive, and whether presidents face impeachment. Elections shift congressional control, dramatically reshaping policy direction.
People often think presidents are more powerful than Congress. In reality, the Constitution gives Congress more explicit power. Presidents execute laws Congress writes; Congress controls the budget Congress must approve; Congress can override vetoes and impeach presidents.