Civics question 18 of 128
What part of the federal government writes laws?
3 accepted answers
- (U.S.) Congress
- (U.S. or national) legislature
- Legislative branch
You only need to give one of these. The officer accepts any of them.
Source: official USCIS question list for the 2025 version of the civics test. This site is independent and not affiliated with USCIS.
Background
Congress writes the laws, and the test also accepts the legislature or the legislative branch. Congress has two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives, and a bill must pass both in identical form before it can go to the president. Most bills begin in committee, where the detailed work happens and where the large majority quietly die. Once a bill reaches the president it becomes law by signature, or over a veto if two thirds of both chambers vote to override. Only members of Congress can formally introduce a bill, even when the idea comes from the president or from an outside group. This question pairs with the branch questions: writing law is legislative, carrying it out is executive, interpreting it is judicial.
This background section is written by US Citizenship Test Practice to explain the civics fact. It is not part of the USCIS question list, and the official answer above is the one to give at the interview.
Where this question sits
It is part of System of Government, inside the American Government section of the test.
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