Order Code 98-728 GOV
Updated August 4, 2003
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Bills, Resolutions, Nominations, and Treaties:
Origins, Deadlines, Requirements, and Uses
Richard S. Beth
Specialist in the Legislative Process
Government and Finance Division
In each chamber of Congress, four forms of legislative measure may be introduced
(or, for resolutions, submitted) and acted on: bills, joint resolutions, concurrent
resolutions, and resolutions of one house (“simple resolutions”). In addition, under the
Constitution the Senate acts on two forms of executive business: nominations and treaties.
This fact sheet provides a tabular comparison of the formal characteristics and uses of
these six different kinds of business. For more information on legislative process, see
[http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/guidehome.shtml].
The rules of the two houses include references to the four types of measure, but
generally take for granted the distinctions among them, which have developed in the
course of congressional history. Today, a bill or joint resolution is used when the purpose
is to make law; a joint resolution is also used for the purpose of proposing an amendment
to the Constitution. The other two forms of resolution are used for internal business of
Congress itself. Additional detail on the uses of each form of measure appears in CRS
Report 98-706, Bills and Resolutions: Examples of How Each Kind is Used. Executive
business is so called because it is transmitted by the President, who must obtain the advice
and consent of the Senate before the nomination or treaty becomes effective.

The following table compares all six of the forms of business on which Congress
acts in terms of the following characteristics:
! Form of Business: bill, joint resolution, concurrent resolution, simple
resolution, nomination, or treaty.
! Designation: series in which business of this form is numbered.
! Origin: who may formally introduce, submit, or transmit to Congress
business of this form.
! Deadline for action: point at which business of this form ceases to be
available for action (unless earlier disposed of).
! Requirements for approval: institutions required to act for business of
this form to be enacted, finally adopted, or otherwise approved.
! Product or Use: result of successful action on business of this form.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
Table 1. Forms of Business Before Congress
Deadline
Requirements
Product
Form of Business
Designation a
Origin
for action b
for approval
or Use
Legislative Business (Measures)
Bill S.
Member of chamber
Final adjournment
Both chambers and
Law (statute)
H.R.
of introduction
of a Congress
President
Joint Resolution
S.J.Res.
Member of chamber
Final adjournment
Both chambers and
Law (statute)
(except to amend Constitution)
H.J.Res.
of submission
of a Congress
President
Joint Resolution
S.J.Res.
Member of chamber
Final adjournment
Both chambers
Constitutional
(to amend Constitution)
H.J.Res.
of submission
of a Congress c
(by two-thirds’ vote) c
amendment
Concurrent Resolution
S.Con.Res.
Member of chamber
Final adjournment
Both chambers
Regulation of
H.Con.Res.
of submission
of a Congress
Congress as a whole
Resolution
S.Res.
Member of chamber
Final adjournment
Chamber of origin
Regulation of
(“simple resolution”)
H.Res.
of submission
of a Congress
chamber of origin
Executive Business
Nomination
[by name]
President
Adjournment of a session of
Senate
Confirmation
the Senate, or a Senate
(advice and consent
recess of over 30 days d
to appointment)
Treaty
Treaty Doc. e
President
Indefinite
Senate
Advice and consent
to ratification
a. Designations beginning with “S.” are used for Senate measures; those beginning with “H.” for House measures. For each form of measure, the designation is followed by
a sequence number (e.g., “H.R. 1”).
b. Deadline unless the business is earlier disposed of, or (for nominations and treaties) unless withdrawn by the President. For legislative measures, the maximum is the two-
year life span of a Congress.
c. After action by Congress, the amendment must also be ratified by three-fourths of the states, usually within a time period specified in the joint resolution.
d. Deadline unless, when the Senate recesses or adjourns its session, it orders that nominations not be returned to the President. The maximum deadline is the final adjournment
of a Congress.
e. This designation is followed by the number of the Congress and a sequence number (e.g., “Treaty Doc. 105-1”). Before the 97th Congress, the form used was “Ex.” followed
by a sequence letter and the number of the Congress and session (e.g., “Ex. A, 96-1”).

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