A joint resolution of Congress is one of four types of legislation that can be passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The other types of legislation are simple resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and bills.
Joint resolutions are introduced simultaneously in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once introduced, they must be approved in identical forms by both chambers. If any changes are made in one chamber, the identical change must be made in the other. Once a joint resolution is approved by both chambers, it becomes law through the signature of the president, or by Congress overriding a presidential veto. The exception is for proposals to amend the U.S. Constitution, which do not receive presidential signatures and instead are submitted to the states to be ratified.
In practice, joint resolutions are no different from a bill. They are considered to have the same effect as a bill except that, unlike a bill introduced in Congress, a resolution does not become a statute or an act. Still, a joint resolution has the force of law. A joint resolution originating in the Senate is designated by the letters "S.J.Res." followed by a number and joint resolutions introduced in the House of Representatives are designated "H.J.Res." and a number.
Uses of Joint Resolutions
Joint resolutions are generally used for short term, ad hoc changes to American law. For instance, joint resolutions are the normal vehicle for authorizing or continuing emergency appropriations. They are also the normal vehicle for creating temporary commissions, temporary exceptions to existing law, or terminating national emergency declarations.
Joint resolutions have become the favored mechanism for proposing more consequential changes to US policy for changes that require a show of national unity. Examples include declarations of war and authorizations of the use of force. Prior to the 20th century, both declarations of war and authorizations of the use of force were typically passed through bills. However, since the Spanish American War, these drastic changes to foreign policy have been done through joint resolutions.
Joint resolutions are one of two methods to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Article V of the Constitution allows amendments to be proposed through a joint resolution passed by two thirds vote, or through Constitutional Convention.
[Last updated in June of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]