7 Facts About How ‘Budget Reconciliation’ Works—and What the Senate’s ‘Byrd Rule’ Forbids
Learn how budget reconciliation bypasses the Senate filibuster and how the Byrd Rule enforces strict fiscal limits on major congressional legislation.
Constitution & Congress
36 stories · page 2
Constitution & Congress stories
9 Times Congress Declared War—or Authorized Military Force Without a Formal Declaration
Examine 9 times Congress declared war or authorized military force, from 1812 to modern AUMFs, including the historic December 2025 repeals.
10 Landmark Treaties the U.S. Senate Rejected—or Rewrote Before Ratification
Learn how the U.S. Senate exercises its Article II treaty powers, examining 10 landmark international treaties rejected or rewritten from 1795 to…
6 Ways the Twenty-Second Amendment Capped Presidential Terms—and the Loophole Everyone Asks About
Learn how the Twenty-Second Amendment limits presidents to two elections, permits up to 10 years via succession, and fuels an untested Twelfth…
10 Facts About How the Federal Budget Process Is Supposed to Work (vs. Continuing Resolutions)
Discover how the federal budget process is supposed to work under the 1974 Budget Act and why Congress relies on continuing resolutions…
9 Facts About How Congressional Committees Actually Write, Amend, and Bury Bills
Discover how congressional committees write, amend, and bury bills through markups, substitute amendments, and discharge petitions under chamber rules.
7 Ways the State of the Union Address Changed from a Written Letter to a Prime-Time Broadcast
Trace how the State of the Union evolved from Thomas Jefferson's written letter to Woodrow Wilson's revival and Lyndon Johnson's prime-time broadcast.
10 Major Laws That Always Take Effect on January 1—and How ‘Effective Dates’ Work in Legislation
Learn how legislative effective dates work and discover 10 major federal laws, tax caps, and historic milestones that take effect on January…
8 Rules That Govern Presidential Pardons and Executive Clemency Under the Constitution
Learn the 8 constitutional rules governing presidential pardons and executive clemency, from federal limits to Supreme Court precedents.
10 Facts About How the Original Bill of Rights Was Drafted, Cut from 12 to 10, and Ratified in 1791
Discover how James Madison and the First Congress drafted the Bill of Rights, cut twelve amendments to ten, and secured ratification on…