Congressional Budget Office (CBO): The CBO was established to give Congress a stronger role in budget matters. The agency provides objective and impartial analysis of budgetary and economic issues. It is strictly nonpartisan and does not make policy recommendations. 

Congressional Record: Each day around 10 am a “Daily Digest” is published on the Most Recent Issue page reporting on House and Senate business from the previous day. A delay in the availability of information may result after a late-night congressional session. You can also subscribe to daily email alerts for new Congressional Record issues. 

Daily congressional proceedings may include legislative activity by the chambers and their committees, member remarks, communications from the president, and more. Note that official records of House and Senate actions are recorded in their respective journals.  

Congressional Research Service: The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves Congress throughout the legislative process by providing comprehensive and reliable legislative research and analysis that is timely, objective, authoritative, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature. 

Continuing Resolution: A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary stopgap by which Congress funds the federal government for a limited period to avoid a lapse in appropriations (more commonly referred to as a government shutdown). Lawmakers use CRs to ensure federal agencies continue operations until Congress and the president reach an agreement on how to appropriate federal funds for the rest of a fiscal year. 

Co-sponsor: Co-sponsoring legislation means a senator or representative adds their name as a supporter to the sponsor’s bill, thereby signifying agreement with the bill’s purpose and intent. An initial original co-sponsor is listed in the bill text at the time of the bill’s introduction. 

Government Accountability Office: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. It is known as "the investigative arm of Congress" or a "congressional watchdog." The GAO studies how taxpayer dollars are spent and supports Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities by providing fact-based information to aid the government in saving money and functioning more efficiently.  It helps improve the performance and accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. 

Joint Resolutions: Joint resolutions may originate in the House of Representatives or in the Senate. There is little practical difference between a bill and a joint resolution. Both are subject to the same procedures, in that it requires the approval of both chambers in identical form and the president’s signature to become law. An exception is a joint resolution that proposes an amendment to the Constitution. They must be approved by two-thirds of both chambers and three-fourths of the states, but do not require the signature of the president to become part of the Constitution. Once approved by two-thirds of both chambers, a joint resolution is sent directly to the Administrator of General Services for submission to the individual states for ratification. It is not presented to the president for approval. A joint resolution originating in the House of Representatives is designated “H.J.Res.” and “S.J.Res” is used by the Senate, followed by a number. Joint resolutions become law in the same manner as bills. 

Lobbyists: Lobbyists communicate the views of special interest groups to lawmakers with the goal of influencing how they write or vote on legislation. Lobbyists may use tactics such as meeting with legislators, organizing rallies, compiling research, and drafting legislation to communicate their client’s concerns and ideas to help shape public policy.   

Marking Up a Bill: Committee members in the House and Senate each participate in bill “mark up,” which is the process of examining, debating, and possibly amending legislation to propose to their respective chamber. Finally, the committee votes to order the bill reported back to the chamber with the recommendation that it receive consideration on the floor. 

Motion to Reconsider: A motion to reconsider is a procedural tool available to any member who votes on the prevailing side of a question/bill and who wishes to reconsider or revisit the question/bill on the same or succeeding legislative day. This often occurs when members (usually minority members) determine there is a need to slow down the legislative process. After final passage, it is common practice in the House for the Speaker to declare, “Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.” If no objection is raised, this has the parliamentary effect of ending any possibility that another vote on the bill can take place. 

Point of Order: A point of order is an objection by a member of Congress claiming that a rule of the chamber has been broken. This includes prohibition against certain congressional actions or consideration of certain types of legislation. These prohibitions are enforced when a member raises a point of order against actions or legislation that may violate these rules when they are pending in the House or Senate. 

Quorum: A minimum number of members that must be present for a legislative body to conduct its business and make decisions. The specific number required can vary depending on the rules for the particular legislative body. 

Simple Resolutions: A matter concerning the operation of the House of Representatives or Senate alone is initiated by a simple resolution. A resolution affecting the House of Representatives is designated “H.Res” and the Senate uses “S.Res.” followed by a number. They address matters such as setting the agenda, chamber rules, and establishing committees, and do not have the force of law.  They are not presented to the president for action. 

Sponsor: In Congress, a sponsor is the first member of the House or Senate to introduce a bill for consideration, and their name is listed first on the bill. Committees are occasionally identified as sponsors of legislation as well. 

Subcommittee: Subcommittees are smaller, specialized groups within a larger committee that focus on certain topics or specializations. Most subcommittees are created to hold hearings, mark up legislation, and report measures to their full committees for further action. 

Unanimous Consent: In parliamentary procedure, unanimous consent, also known as “general consent,” or in the case of the parliaments under the Westminster system, “leave of the House” (or “leave of the Senate”), is a situation in which no member present objects to a proposal. 

Additional Information for 501c3 and Lobbying Rules 

IRS 501(c)(3): In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities attempts to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying).  A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but excessive lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status. 

Legislation: Includes action by Congress, any state legislature, any local council, or similar governing body, with respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive office), or by the public in referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by executive, judicial, or administrative bodies. 

An organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates for the adoption or rejection of legislation. 

Organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, organizations may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. 

NOTE: To determine how much lobbying is allowed by your organization, please see the IRS substantial part test and expenditure test prior to any lobbying.  

How Laws Are Made 

Laws begin as ideas. First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if it is released, it is debated and voted on. Again, a simple majority (51 of 100) passes the bill. Finally, a conference committee consisting of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. The Government Publishing Office prints the revised bill in a process called enrolling. The president has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill. 

Common Terms Heard in Congress 

Strike the last word: This is a parliamentary procedure in the form of a motion. “Strike the last word” is a pro forma amendment whereby a member secures 5 minutes to speak on an amendment under debate. A member gains recognition to speak by moving to “strike the last word.” 

Words taken down: A member may demand that the words of another member be taken down. This typically takes place during debate when one member believes another member has violated the rules of decorum in the House. 

The Byrd Rule: A Senate rule that sets limitations on the reconciliation process, which allows the Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority rather than a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority. 

The Hastert Rule: The Hastert rule, also known as the "majority of the majority" rule, is an informal governing principle used in the United States by Republican Speakers of the House of Representatives since the mid-1990s to maintain their speakerships and limit the power of the minority party to bring  bills up for a vote on the floor of the House. Under the doctrine, the speaker will not allow a floor vote on a bill unless a majority of the majority party supports the bill 

Motion to Suspend the Rules: Suspension of the rules is a procedure generally used to quickly pass noncontroversial bills in the House of Representatives. A member can make a motion to suspend the rules only if the Speaker of the House allows it. 

Motion to Recommit: Such a motion proposes to recommit a bill or joint resolution to a committee (typically the committee that reported it) with instructions that the committee report the measure back to the House “forthwith” with a certain amendment, the text of which is included in the recommittal motion. 

Queen of the Hill: Since 1995, the House Rules Committee has occasionally used a modified form for special rules allowing multiple alternatives to be voted on regardless of the results of any previous votes. In this modification, if more than one alternative obtains a majority, the one that is considered as finally adopted is the one that receives the greatest number of votes. These rules have been termed queen-of-the-hill or "most votes wins" rules. In all other respects, the queen-of-the-hill structure works in the same manner as its predecessor so that all amendments made in order may be offered, regardless of whether any prior amendment had been adopted. The Rules Committee has reported queen-of-the-hill rules infrequently: on three occasions in the 104th Congress, twice in the 105th Congress, once in the 107th Congress, and once in the 114th Congress. 

King of the Hill: Beginning in 1980, the House Rules Committee developed a form for special rules that would provide a structure for the House to consider a series of alternative amendments to the same text. These rules were called king-of-the-hill rules because they provided that, if more than one alternative were adopted, the last one that secured a majority vote would be the one considered as finally adopted. Initially, king-of-the-hill rules were used infrequently (only once in the 96th Congress, four times in the 97th Congress, and twice in the 98th Congress). Their initial use was to allow consideration of amendments in the nature of a substitute for the concurrent resolution on the budget, and for many observers, they came to be primarily associated with the consideration of budget resolutions. However, over time, king-of-the-hill rules came to be used somewhat more frequently (peaking at 19 king-of-the-hill structures in 15 special rules in the 101st Congress out of a total of 115 special rules adopted for the consideration of bills and resolutions) and for a wider variety of measures. Special rules could also incorporate one or more king-of-the-hill structures for considering alternatives for a portion of a measure, such as a single title or section.