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Question 20 of 128 American Government ★ 65/20 question

Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

Answers USCIS accepts

  • Writes laws
  • Declares war
  • Makes the federal budget

Give any one of these answers at your interview.

One power of Congress is to write laws. Congress also declares war and makes the federal budget.

What it means

The Constitution gives Congress the power to make federal laws, to decide how the government spends money, and to declare war.

Any one answer is enough. “Writes laws” is the simplest. This is a 65/20 question.

West front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., where Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives meet
The U.S. Capitol, home of Congress, seen from the west. Photo: Architect of the Capitol (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.

Memory tip: Congress: Laws, War, Budget.

Quiz yourself

Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

Multiple choice is for study only. The real civics test is spoken: the officer asks, you answer out loud.

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Official source: USCIS M-1778 (09/25), 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version). Last checked: .