A bill and a joint resolution are legally almost the same thing: both must pass the House and Senate in identical form and be signed by the president (or pass over a veto), and both carry the force of law. The real differences are custom and one constitutional exception. Joint resolutions are traditionally used for narrower or one-time actions, such as disapproving a regulation or authorizing military force, and a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment skips the president entirely.
Congress.gov’s own glossary puts it plainly: there’s little practical difference between the two. What matters more is the label on the measure and the procedure attached to it, which can change how many votes it needs.
How do you tell them apart? #
The prefix on the measure’s number tells you what it is.
| Type | House / Senate label | Needs both chambers? | Goes to the president? | Force of law? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill | H.R. / S. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Joint resolution | H.J.Res. / S.J.Res. | Yes | Yes, except constitutional amendments | Yes |
| Concurrent resolution | H.Con.Res. / S.Con.Res. | Yes | No | No |
| Simple resolution | H.Res. / S.Res. | No, one chamber | No | No |
What is a bill used for? #
Bills are the default vehicle for nearly everything Congress does, from creating programs and changing the tax code to annual appropriations. Revenue bills must start in the House under the Constitution. An enacted bill becomes a public law and, if it’s permanent and general, is folded into the United States Code.
Our step-by-step guide to how a bill becomes a law walks through committees, floor votes and conference.
What is a joint resolution used for? #
Joint resolutions go through the same committees and votes as bills. By tradition, Congress reaches for them in a few situations.
Proposing constitutional amendments #
This is the one real legal difference. Under Article V, Congress proposes an amendment by passing a joint resolution with two-thirds of each chamber. It then goes straight to the states, and three-fourths of them (38) must ratify it. The president doesn’t sign it and can’t veto it; the Supreme Court said as much in 1798 in Hollingsworth v. Virginia. Proposed amendments on term limits, balanced budgets and the Electoral College are all introduced as joint resolutions, which is why you’ll see them labeled H.J.Res. We cover one example in are there term limits for Congress?.
Disapproving regulations under the Congressional Review Act #
The Congressional Review Act lets Congress overturn a recently issued federal rule with a joint resolution of disapproval. In the Senate these resolutions get fast-track treatment: debate is capped at 10 hours and they can’t be filibustered, so a simple majority passes them. The president still has to sign them, which is why the CRA is used mostly when a new president’s party controls Congress and wants to undo late rules from the previous administration.
Before 2017, Congress had used it successfully only once, in 2001. It was used more than a dozen times in 2017, and again heavily in 2025, including three resolutions signed in June 2025 that revoked EPA waivers letting California set its own vehicle emissions rules. Once a rule is disapproved, the agency can’t reissue a substantially similar one without new authority from Congress.
Authorizing military force #
Congress has declared war and authorized force by joint resolution. The 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force after the September 11 attacks and the 2002 Iraq authorization were all joint resolutions.
Other one-time actions #
Joint resolutions also show up for things like correcting an error in an earlier law, approving interstate compacts and appointing Smithsonian regents.
Is a continuing resolution a joint resolution? #
Sometimes. The name is historical. A continuing resolution (CR) is any measure that keeps agencies funded at current levels when Congress hasn’t passed its regular appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year on October 1. Older CRs were usually joint resolutions. Recent ones have mostly ridden on bills with H.R. numbers, but they’re still called CRs because of what they do.
The most recent example is dramatic. Funding lapsed on October 1, 2025, and the shutdown lasted 43 days, the longest full shutdown in US history. It ended on November 12, 2025, when Congress passed a CR that funded most of the government through January 30, 2026 and gave several agencies full-year funding. The Senate vote was 60-40 because the measure needed to clear a filibuster.
That’s the part voters should notice. Whether a funding measure is a bill or a joint resolution doesn’t change its vote threshold. The Senate filibuster does. Most legislation, CRs included, needs 60 votes to end debate, while CRA resolutions and budget reconciliation bills are protected by special rules that need only a simple majority. Our explainer on how the Senate filibuster works covers why.
What are simple and concurrent resolutions? #
Neither has the force of law, and neither goes to the president.
- Simple resolutions (H.Res., S.Res.) affect only one chamber: adopting its rules, creating a committee, honoring someone or expressing the chamber’s opinion.
- Concurrent resolutions (H.Con.Res., S.Con.Res.) must pass both chambers but still don’t become law. The annual budget resolution is the big one. It sets spending targets and can carry reconciliation instructions, which is how the 2025 tax-and-spending law was set up. See how budget reconciliation works for that process.
Why does this matter for the 2026 midterms? #
Every one of these tools depends on who holds the majority. The majority party decides which bills and resolutions reach the floor. CRA disapprovals and reconciliation bills pass on party-line votes, so they’re only available to a party that controls both chambers and the White House. And the next funding deadline is always close: fiscal 2027 begins October 1, 2026, a month before the election.
The November 3 election will decide both chambers for 2027 and 2028. The best early read on the House is the generic congressional ballot, which asks voters which party they want in charge. Election Tracker averages the generic ballot on its House tab and groups polls for each Senate race, with the pollster, sample size and field dates on every poll. It’s free on iPhone and doesn’t require an account.
Frequently asked questions #
Does a joint resolution have the force of law? #
Yes. Once it passes both chambers and is signed by the president, or passes over a veto, a joint resolution is law just like a bill. The one exception is a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, which goes to the states instead of the president.
Can the president veto a joint resolution? #
Yes, except for proposed constitutional amendments. Congress can override a veto with two-thirds of both chambers. Presidents have vetoed CRA disapproval resolutions when the other party controlled Congress.
Is a joint resolution faster to pass than a bill? #
Not by itself. It follows the same steps. Speed comes from special procedures some joint resolutions get, like the CRA’s fast track in the Senate, or from unanimous consent.
What’s the difference between a joint resolution and a concurrent resolution? #
A joint resolution goes to the president and becomes law. A concurrent resolution passes both chambers but never goes to the president and doesn’t make law. It’s used for internal matters like the budget resolution and adjournment.
Why doesn’t the president sign constitutional amendments? #
Article V gives the power to propose amendments to Congress and the power to ratify them to the states. It gives the president no role, and the Supreme Court confirmed in 1798 that amendment resolutions don’t need a presidential signature.