Which statement is true of the United States Congress?

Which statement is true of the United States Congress?

• A. It writes and passes national laws.
• B. It interprets laws in the process of deciding issues before the courts.
• C. It appoints justices and grants pardons.
• D. It establishes and maintains public schools.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is what Congress does in the federal government. Congress’s main job is to write and pass national laws. It drafts statutes, debates them, and votes in both chambers; once both houses approve, the President can sign the bill into law or veto it. If the President vetoes, Congress can still make the bill law with a two‑thirds vote in both chambers. Laws aren’t interpreted by Congress—that duty belongs to the courts in the Judicial Branch, which interpret statutes when cases arise. Appointment of justices and granting pardons are executive powers handled by the President, with Senate confirmation for justices. Public schools aren’t established and maintained by Congress; education is largely handled by states and localities, with the federal government playing a funding and policy role. So the statement that best describes Congress is that it writes and passes national laws.

The key idea here is what Congress does in the federal government. Congress’s main job is to write and pass national laws. It drafts statutes, debates them, and votes in both chambers; once both houses approve, the President can sign the bill into law or veto it. If the President vetoes, Congress can still make the bill law with a two‑thirds vote in both chambers. Laws aren’t interpreted by Congress—that duty belongs to the courts in the Judicial Branch, which interpret statutes when cases arise. Appointment of justices and granting pardons are executive powers handled by the President, with Senate confirmation for justices. Public schools aren’t established and maintained by Congress; education is largely handled by states and localities, with the federal government playing a funding and policy role. So the statement that best describes Congress is that it writes and passes national laws.