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Legislative Highlights

The U.S. Constitution states that “The Congress shall have Power…To make all Laws.” The original laws enacted by Congress are preserved at the National Archives. This page highlights some of the most historically significant laws Congress has passed throughout the nation’s history.

War Powers Resolution, November 7, 1973 War Powers Resolution, November 7, 1973 The Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the president to safeguard against reckless military engagements. During the Cold War, presidents led the nation into…
Departmental Reorganization Act (Overman Act),… Departmental Reorganization Act (Overman Act), May 20, 1918 The United States’ entry into World War I in 1917 demanded mobilization of national resources on an unprecedented scale. To better manage the war effort, Congress passed the…
Economic Cooperation Act of 1948 (Marshall Plan… Economic Cooperation Act of 1948 (Marshall Plan) - Image 1 The European Recovery Program pushed forward the economic reconstruction of post-war Europe and discouraged the spread of communism. Secretary of State George C. Marshall…
Declaration of War on Germany, December 11, 1941 Declaration of War on Germany, December 11, 1941 On December 8, 1941, one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan. This prompted Germany to declare war on the United States, which, in…
National Historic Preservation Act, October 15,… National Historic Preservation Act In continuation of the Progressive Era’s commitment to preservation, Congress enacted the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 to safeguard historic properties…
Declaration of War against Spain, April 25, 1898 Declaration of War against Spain The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, and escalating tensions with Spain over its colonial rule in Cuba prompted Congress to declare war…
Civil Rights Act of 1960, May 6, 1960 Civil Rights Act of 1960 The Civil Rights Act of 1960 was intended to strengthen voting rights and expand the enforcement powers of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. It included provisions for federal…
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, August 2… Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 brought about some of the most significant organizational changes ever made to the U.S. Congress. The act improved legislative…
An Act Providing for the Education of Colored… An Act Providing for the Education of Colored Children As the Civil War intensified in the spring of 1862, Congress passed the D.C. Emancipation Act, officially ending slavery in the nation’s capital. Nevertheless, abolitionists…
An Act to Establish a Department of Agriculture,… An Act to Establish a Department of Agriculture On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating a department dedicated to the interests of American agriculture. Nearly half of all Americans lived on…
The Jay Treaty, Exchange Copy, November 19, 1794 The Jay Treaty On November 19, 1794, American emissary John Jay signed the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, better…
“Title IX” of the Education Amendments of 1972,… Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 Title IX—part of a larger education act passed by Congress in 1972—prohibits sex discrimination in education programs receiving federal funding. It applies to all educational…
An Act for the Release of Certain Persons from… An Act for the Release of Certain Persons from Service or Labor The Constitution grants Congress exclusive authority over the District of Columbia. As the Civil War continued, Congress used this power to end slavery in Washington, D.C. On…
Morrill Land Grant Act, July 2, 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act Signed by President Abraham Lincoln on July 2, 1862, and named for its greatest advocate, Representative Justin Morrill of Vermont, this act provided the first Federal…
Joint Resolution proposing the Fifteenth… Joint Resolution proposing the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Passed by Congress February 26, 1869, and ratified by three-fourths of the states on February 3, 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment granted African-American males the right to…
Joint Resolution Proposing the Seventeenth… Joint Resolution Proposing the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution The seventeenth amendment provided for the direct election of Senators. The Constitution specifies that state legislatures are to elect senators, while the population is…
Pacific Railway Act, approved July 1, 1862 Pacific Railway Act, approved July 1, 1862 To realize the vision of a transcontinental railroad and telegraph, Congress passed and President Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act. This act designated the route and…
The Homestead Act, May 20, 1862 The Homestead Act, May 20, 1862 Congress passed and President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862. The act encouraged western expansion by awarding settlers 160 acres of land in…
An Act Providing for the Expences Which May… An Act Providing for the Expences Which May Attend Negotiations or Treaties with the Indian Tribes Congress has the constitutional authority to regulate relations with American Indian tribes. The First Federal Congress delegated responsibility for Indian Affairs to the…