Act of Congress facts for kids

Seal of the United States Congress

An Act of Congress is a law made by the United States Congress. It's how new rules and ideas become official for the whole country. Think of it as a big decision that affects everyone in the United States.

For an idea to become an Act of Congress, it usually needs to go through a few steps. First, most members of both parts of Congress must agree on it. Then, it goes to the President to be signed. Once the President signs it, or if certain other things happen, it becomes a law!

How a Bill Becomes a Law

The Constitution of the United States explains how a bill turns into a law. It's a very important process!

• Step 1: Congress Votes. An idea for a new law, called a "bill," must first be approved by a majority of members in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• Step 2: President's Turn. After both parts of Congress pass the bill, it goes to the President.
• Step 3: Signing or Vetoing.
  • If the President approves the bill, they sign it, and it becomes a law.
  • If the President disapproves (doesn't like) the bill, they can "veto" it. This means they send it back to Congress with their reasons why they don't want it to become a law.
• Step 4: Congress Can Override. If the President vetoes a bill, Congress can still make it a law. But it's harder! Two-thirds (about 67%) of the members in both the House and the Senate must vote to approve the bill again. If they do, the bill becomes a law even without the President's signature.
• Step 5: Automatic Law. Sometimes, if the President doesn't sign or veto a bill within ten days (not counting Sundays), it automatically becomes a law. This happens as long as Congress is still meeting.

What are Bills?

Lawmakers in Congress, called Senators and Representatives, come up with thousands of ideas for new laws every year. These ideas are written down as "bills." Only a small number of these bills actually make it all the way through the process to become a law.

• Who Starts a Bill? Anyone can suggest an idea for a bill, but only a member of Congress can officially introduce it. The person who introduces the bill is called its "sponsor."
• Where Do Bills Start? A bill can be introduced in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. Sometimes, the same bill is introduced in both at the same time to save time.
• Going to Committee. Once a bill is introduced, it's sent to a "committee." A committee is a smaller group of lawmakers who specialize in certain topics, like education or healthcare.
  • The committee studies the bill carefully and can suggest changes.
  • If a committee doesn't act on a bill, it usually "dies" and doesn't become a law.
  • Committees often have even smaller groups called "subcommittees." These subcommittees hold "hearings" where people can share their opinions about the bill.
• Debate and Vote. If a bill passes through its committee, it then goes to the full House or Senate for debate and a vote. Lawmakers discuss the bill and then vote on whether to approve it.
• To the Other House. If a bill passes in one part of Congress (like the House), it then goes to the other part (the Senate) to go through the same steps. Both the House and the Senate must pass the exact same version of the bill for it to move on to the President.

What are Resolutions?

Besides bills, Congress also passes other types of Acts called "resolutions." There are three main kinds:

Simple Resolutions

These resolutions are about how one part of Congress operates. For example, a simple resolution might set a new rule for how the House of Representatives will conduct its meetings.

• They are not sent to the President for approval.
• They only affect the House or Senate that passed them.
• House resolutions start with "H.Res." and Senate resolutions start with "S.Res."

Joint Resolutions

Joint resolutions are very similar to bills. They can start in either the House or the Senate and become law in the same way as bills, needing the President's signature.

• Special Case: Constitutional Amendments. The most important type of joint resolution is one that proposes an amendment (a change) to the US Constitution.
  • These special joint resolutions need a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.
  • They are not sent to the President for his signature.
  • Instead, they become effective when three-quarters of the states approve them.
• House joint resolutions start with "H.J.Res." and Senate joint resolutions start with "S.J.Res."

Concurrent Resolutions

Concurrent resolutions affect how both the House and the Senate work together. They can be used to set up a temporary committee that includes members from both parts of Congress.

• They are not sent to the President for his signature.
• They do not have the force of law, meaning they don't create new laws for the country.
• House concurrent resolutions start with "H.Con.Res." and Senate concurrent resolutions start with "S.Con.Res."

Images for kids

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  This is an example of a "Private Law." These laws affect only one person or a small group, not the whole country.

See also

In Spanish: Ley del Congreso (Estados Unidos) para niños