Name One Power of the U.S. Congress: Civics Question 20

The answer is writes laws. You only have to name one power.

Question 20 asks you to name one power of the U.S. Congress. Three answers are accepted: writes laws, declares war, and makes the federal budget. Give one of them. This is a starred question, so it can also appear on the shorter test for applicants who are 65 or older.

What the Three Powers Mean

Each accepted answer names a job the Constitution hands to Congress and to nobody else.

• Writes laws. A bill is introduced in the Senate or the House, both chambers pass the same version, and it goes to the president to sign or veto.
• Declares war. The formal power to declare war belongs to Congress, not to the president. The president commands the military, and the declaration comes from the legislature.
• Makes the federal budget. Congress decides how federal money is raised and spent. Money bills that raise revenue start in the House of Representatives.

Why the Officer Asks This

The three powers cover the three things a national government most needs: rules, force, and money. Putting all three in the hands of elected members of Congress keeps them away from a single officeholder.

The star matters here. Starred questions also appear on the shorter 20-question version of the test, which is given to applicants who are 65 or older and have been permanent residents for at least 20 years.

How to Remember One Power of Congress

Three words in a row: laws, war, money.

Laws are written, war is declared, money is budgeted. Say the three-word list to yourself, then pick the first one and use it. “Writes laws” is also the answer to question 18, which asks what part of the federal government writes laws, so one phrase covers both questions.

A Mistake Worth Avoiding

Do not answer with something the president does. Signing bills, vetoing bills, and commanding the military are executive powers, and none of them count here.

Do not answer “makes laws” and then keep going into how a bill becomes a law. The officer needs one power named, not the process explained.

What to Say on Test Day

Say “writes laws.” Two words, then stop.

If the phrase leaves you, fall back on “declares war.” Either is marked correct, and giving both does not add anything.