Editing Joint resolution (section)

{{short description|Type of legislative measure adopted by the United States Congress}}
In the [[United States Congress]], a '''joint resolution''' is a legislative measure that requires passage by the [[United States Senate|Senate]] and the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and is presented to the [[President of the United States|president]] for their approval or disapproval. Generally, there is no legal difference between a [[resolution (law)|joint resolution]] and a [[bill (law)|bill]]. Both must be passed, in exactly the same form, by both chambers of Congress, and signed by the President (or, re-passed in override of a presidential [[veto#United States|veto]]; or, remain unsigned for ten days while Congress is in session) to become a law. Only joint resolutions may be used to propose amendments to the [[United States Constitution]], and these do not require the approval of the President.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/d_three_sections_with_teasers/bills.htm |title=Legislation, Laws, and Acts |website=United States Senate |access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref> Laws enacted by joint resolutions are not distinguished from laws enacted by bills, except that they are designated as resolutions as opposed to [[Act of Congress|Acts of Congress]] (see for example [[War Powers Resolution]]).

While either a bill or joint resolution can be used to create a law, the two generally have different purposes. Bills are generally used to add, repeal, or amend laws codified in the [[United States Code]] or ''[[United States Statutes at Large|Statutes at Large]]'', and provide policy and program authorizations. Regular annual appropriations are enacted through bills. Conversely, joint resolutions generally are vehicles for purposes such as:<ref>{{cite report |title=Bills and Resolutions: Examples of How Each Kind Is Used |publisher=Congressional Research Service |last=Beth |first=Richard S. |date=2010-12-02<!-- last updated --> |orig-date=Original date 2004-12-07 |url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RS/98-706 }}</ref>
*Authorizing small appropriations
*For [[continuing resolution]]s, which extend appropriation levels adopted in a prior fiscal year, when one or more of the annual appropriations acts have been temporarily delayed from becoming law on time
*Creating temporary commissions or other [[ad hoc]] bodies (e.g., the [[9/11 Commission]])
*Creating temporary exceptions to existing law, such as joint resolutions providing a day for counting [[United States Electoral College|electoral votes]] or providing for a [[Saxbe fix]] reducing the pay of an office so that a member of Congress may avoid the [[Ineligibility Clause]]
*Declaring war
*Repealing federal regulations issued by government agencies, through the [[Congressional Review Act]]
*Terminating national emergency declarations<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-34|title=50 US Code Chapter 34 |website=Cornell University |access-date=2019-01-11}}</ref>
*Amending the Constitution of the United States