congress

n.

1. A formal assembly of representatives, as of various nations, to discuss problems.
2. The national legislative body of a nation, especially a republic.
3. Congress
   1. The national legislative body of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
   2. The two-year session of this legislature between elections of the House of Representatives.
4. 1. The act of coming together or meeting.
   2. A single meeting, as of a political party or other group.
5. Sexual intercourse.

[Middle English congresse, body of attendants, from Latin congressus, meeting, from past participle of congredī, to meet : com-, com- + gradī, to go.]

congressional con·gres'sion·al (kən-grĕsh'ə-nəl, kəng-) adj.
congressionally con·gres'sion·al·ly adv.

noun

1. A formal assemblage of the members of a group: assembly, conference, convention, convocation, meeting. See assemble/disassemble.
2. A number of persons who have come or been gathered together: assemblage, assembly, body, company, conclave, conference, congregation, convention, convocation, crowd, gathering, group, meeting, muster, troop. Informal get-together. See collect/distribute.
3. A group of people united in a relationship and having some interest, activity, or purpose in common: association, club, confederation, federation, fellowship, fraternity, guild, league, order, organization, society, sorority, union. See group.

A formal body of delegates; in American law, the national legislative body consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. The lawmaking power of the United States vests in this body. United States Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 1; 377 U.S. 533. The Constitution of the United States provides for the eligibility, election and qualification of members of Congress. Art. I, Sec. 2 and 3 et seq. It allows each house to determine the rules of its proceedings, provided those rules are constitutional and do not violate fundamental rights, and it enumerates the powers of Congress in detail. Art. I, Sec. 4 et seq. The two houses of Congress possess not only those powers granted to them specifically by the constitution, but also implied auxiliary powers as are necessary to effect the express powers. 72 F. 2d 560, 564. See generally, Schwartz, Constitutional Law, Ch. 3, p. 73 (1979).

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

A body of men who meet to repeal laws.

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IN BRIEF: A formal meeting of delegates. Also: The federal legislature of the United States.

The Congress will push me to raise taxes and I'll say no, and they'll push, and I'll say no, and they'll push again. And I'll say to them, read my lips, no new taxes. — George H.W. Bush (1924-).

Quotes:

"The Senate is a body of old men charged with high duties and misdemeanors." - Ambrose Bierce

"Great is the power, great is the authority of a senate that is unanimous in its opinions." - Marcus T. Cicero

"Sure the people are stupid: the human race is stupid. Sure Congress is an inefficient instrument of government. But the people are not stupid enough to abandon representative government for any other kind, including government by the guy who knows." - Bernard Devoto

"We have the power to do any damn fool thing we want to do, and we seem to do it about every ten minutes." - J. William Fulbright

"The Few assume to be the deputies, but they are often only the despoilers of the Many." - Georg Hegel

"I have seen in the Halls of Congress more idealism, more humanness, more compassion, more profiles of courage than in any other institution that I have ever known." - Hubert H. Humphrey

See more famous quotes about Congress

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Common misspelling(s) of congressional

• congresional

Dansk (Danish)
n. - kongres, selskab, møde

Nederlands (Dutch)
congres, wetgevend orgaan van een staat (m.n. V.S.), vergadering

Français (French)
n. - congrès

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kongreß, Tagung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - συνέδριο, συνέλευση, κογκρέσο, νομοθετικό σώμα

Italiano (Italian)
congresso

Português (Portuguese)
n. - congresso (m), Congresso (m) (Pol.)

Русский (Russian)
конгресс

Español (Spanish)
n. - congreso

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kongress, parning, samlag

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
会议, 立法机关, 代表大会, 美国国会

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 會議, 立法機關, 代表大會, 美國國會

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 의회, 국회, 친교

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 会議, 国会, 議会

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مؤتمر, اجتماع‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮הזדווגות, ועידה, קונגרס‬

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