Which branch of government is responsible for making laws (Congress consisting of the House and Senate)?

• A. Executive branch
• B. Legislative branch
• C. Judicial branch
• D. Administrative branch

Answer: (B)

Lawmaking is handled by the legislative branch, the part of government made up of Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate. Bills start in Congress, are assigned to committees for study and revision, then go to the floor of each chamber for debate and a vote. Both houses must approve the same version of a bill, and once they do, it goes to the president to sign into law or veto. If the president vetoes, Congress can potentially override the veto with a sufficient majority. This structure shows how the different branches share powers, with the legislative branch specifically tasked with creating laws, while the executive enforces them and the judiciary interprets them. The administrative branch isn’t a formal branch of government, so it isn’t the body that makes laws.