United States Congress

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The United States Capitol building, where the Congress meets.
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The United States Capitol building, where the Congress meets.

The United States Congress is the legislative, or law making branch of the United States government.

It has two houses (parts): The United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. This two house system is known as a bicameral (bi is an old word for "two", and camera is an old word for "chamber" or "room") legislature.

The primary duty of Congress is to write, debate, and pass bills (laws they want), which are then sent to the president. If the President agrees the bill should be a law he or she signs the bill. If the bill is not signed, it does not become a law, and people say the President did a veto of the bill.

Most U.S. states make laws the same way, except the State House and Senate together are called a legislature instead of a congress, and the bills are sent to the state governor, since states do not have presidents.

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