Question 16 of 100 · 2008 civics test
Who makes federal laws?
From the 100-question list, the version for applications filed before October 20, 2025.
Accepted answers
- Congress
- Senate and House (of Representatives)
- (U.S. or national) legislature
Any one of these is accepted, unless the question asks for more than one.
Why this is the answer
Federal laws are made by Congress, and the three accepted answers are three names for the same body: Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives together, or the national legislature. A federal law usually applies to every state and everyone in the country, which is what separates it from a state law. Either chamber can propose a bill. It goes first to a committee that studies it and often changes it, then to the full chamber. When the two chambers pass different versions, a conference committee with members of both writes the final text and sends it back for approval. Only then does it reach the President to be signed. Memory hook: Congress makes the law, the President signs it, and signing is not making.