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☆☆☆☆☆H.R. is often mistaken to mean House Resolution. It doesn't. It means simply "House Of Representatives"..
H.R. House Bill
S. Senate Bill
H.J.Res. House Joint Resolution
S.J.Res. Senate Joint Resolution
H.Con.Res. House Concurrent Resolution
S.Con.Res. Senate Concurrent Resolution
H.Res. House Simple Resolution
S.Res. Senate Simple Resolution
Source: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/bills/glossary.html
This information can also be found on the Library of Congress online website and its associated subsite called "Thomas" at http://www.loc.gov/index.html
The Supreme Court holds the power of judicial review, meaning it can declare a law unconstitutional. The law would then be repealed, checking the power of congress. (see Marbury V. Madison)
check and balances
Members of Congress have a lot of burdens as our representatives. Legislative abilities include being able to write and propose new bills to the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Senate (whichever their respective body is). Members of Congress can also be a member of committees which review legislature before bringing it to the whole of the House or Senate; when they're a member of the respective committee (there are many, many committees), they will review the bill. After they've read over it they can revise it with the group, decide (and vote) to propose the bill to the House or Senate, or decide to 'kill' the bill-- which means voting for it not to be proposed (basically saying that the bill would be a waste of time and resources).
After going through the committee process- and every member of Congress is assigned to atleast one committee- the House and Senate members have the right to vote for, against, or abstain for any legislation being proposed. A Congress member also has the right to speak for an alloted amount of time (given by the Speaker of the House, which is Boehner right now) to address concerns they may have about a bill that is being presented. They may also filibuster- which is a way of delaying a vote by talking incessantly... one Congress member was made famous for reading aloud a cookbook to delay a vote!
Congress members also can campaign, meet with their constituents, and always need to be on call for any emergency meetings (usually these happen in times of fiscal/economical crises, natural disasters, or in times of war).
If a bill is passed by H.O.R regarding states rights, then the same bill should be passed by senate and mustly be approved by the concerned senator. If not approved, it can' be passed as law. As such a bill passed by the Senate must be passed by H.o.R.
participating in a conference committee
