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Question 18 of 128 American Government

What part of the federal government writes laws?

Answers USCIS accepts

  • (U.S.) Congress
  • (U.S. or national) legislature
  • Legislative branch

Give any one of these answers at your interview.

Congress, the legislative branch, writes federal laws.

What it means

Congress is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill becomes a law when both parts pass it and the President signs it.

Any of these is correct: “Congress,” “legislature” or “legislative branch.”

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: Legislate = make laws. Congress legislates.

Quiz yourself

What part of the federal government writes laws?

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