Bills
- Most legislation is introduced in the form of a bill
- Public bills affect everyone
- Private bills apply to a particular individual or group
- To become law, must be passed in identical form by both houses of Congress and signed into law by the President
- Senate designation "S"
- House designation "H.R."
Joint Resolutions
- For the most part virtually the same as bills
- Exception to the above: Constitutional amendments are introduced as joint resolutions; if passed in identical form by both houses of Congress, these go to the head of the National Archives and Records Administration for distribution to the states for ratification
- Senate designation "S.J. Res."
- House designation "H.J. Res."
Simple Resolutions
- Apply to only the rules, the operation, or the opinion of either house alone
- Not signed by the President
- Senate designation "S. Res."
- House designation "H. Res."
Concurrent Resolutions
- Apply to the rules, the operation, or the opinion of both houses
- Not signed by the President
- Senate designation "S. Con. Res."
- House designation "H. Con. Res."
Source: Johnson, Charles W. "How Our Laws Are Made." Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2003.
