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Congressional Bills: Glossary
Abbreviations
for Types of Legislation | Abbreviations for Versions
of Bills
Definitions of Types of Legislation | Definitions
of Common Versions of Bills
The following abbreviations stand for types of legislative documents
in the Congressional Bills databases. They are included as part of the
bill number in the identification code.
| H.R. |
House Bill |
| S. |
Senate Bill |
| H.J.Res. |
House Joint Resolution |
| S.J.Res. |
Senate Joint Resolution |
| H.Con.Res. |
House Concurrent Resolution |
| S.Con.Res. |
Senate Concurrent Resolution |
| H.Res. |
House Simple Resolution |
| S.Res. |
Senate Simple Resolution |
The following abbreviations stand for versions of a bill in the Congressional
Bills databases. An abbreviation and its explanation are included with
each bill in your results list.
(ash) Additional Sponsors House
(ath) Agreed to House
(ats) Agreed to Senate
(cdh) Committee Discharged House
(cds) Committee Discharged Senate
(cph) Considered and Passed House
(cps) Considered and Passed Senate
(eah) Engrossed Amendment House
(eas) Engrossed Amendment Senate
(eh) Engrossed in House
(ehr) Engrossed in House-Reprint
(eh_s) Engrossed in House (No.) Star Print [*]
(enr) Enrolled Bill
(es) Engrossed in Senate
(esr) Engrossed in Senate-Reprint
(es_s) Engrossed in Senate (No.) Star Print
(fah) Failed Amendment House
(fps) Failed Passage Senate
(hdh) Held at Desk House
(hds) Held at Desk Senate
(ih) Introduced in House
(ihr) Introduced in House-Reprint
(ih_s) Introduced in House (No.) Star Print
(iph) Indefinitely Postponed in House
(ips) Indefinitely Postponed in Senate
(is) Introduced in Senate
(isr) Introduced in Senate-Reprint
(is_s) Introduced in Senate (No.) Star Print
(lth) Laid on Table in House
(lts) Laid on Table in Senate
(oph) Ordered to be Printed House
(ops) Ordered to be Printed Senate
(pch) Placed on Calendar House
(pcs) Placed on Calendar Senate
(pp) Public Print
(rah) Referred w/Amendments House
(ras) Referred w/Amendments Senate
(rch) Reference Change House
(rcs) Reference Change Senate
(rdh) Received in House
(rds) Received in Senate
(re) Reprint of an Amendment
(reah) Re-engrossed Amendment House
(renr) Re-enrolled
(res) Re-engrossed Amendment Senate
(rfh) Referred in House
(rfhr) Referred in House-Reprint
(rfh_s) Referred in House (No.) Star Print
(rfs) Referred in Senate
(rfsr) Referred in Senate-Reprint
(rfs_s) Referred in Senate (No.) Star Print
(rh) Reported in House
(rhr) Reported in House-Reprint
(rh_s) Reported in House (No.) Star Print
(rih) Referral Instructions House
(ris) Referral Instructions Senate
(rs) Reported in Senate
(rsr) Reported in Senate-Reprint
(rs_s) Reported in Senate (No.) Star Print
(rth) Referred to Committee House
(rts) Referred to Committee Senate
(sas) Additional Sponsors Senate
(sc) Sponsor Change House
(s_p) Star (No.) Print of an Amendment
[*] A star print is a new, revised,
and/or corrected version of a Congressional document. Its name comes from
the star that is printed on the lower left-hand corner of the title page
or cover. When a star print is released, it replaces the original version
of the document.
Bills
| H.R. |
House Bill |
| S. |
Senate Bill |
A bill is a legislative proposal before Congress. Bills from each house
are assigned a number in the order in which they are introduced, starting
at the beginning of each Congress (first and second sessions). Public
bills pertain to matters that affect the general public or classes of
citizens, while private bills pertain to individual matters that affect
individuals and organizations, such as claims against the Government.
Joint Resolutions
| H.J.Res |
House Joint Resolution |
| S.J.Res. |
Senate Joint Resolution |
A joint resolution is a legislative proposal that requires the approval
of both houses and the signature of the President, just as a bill does.
Resolutions from each house are assigned a number in the order in which
they are introduced, starting at the beginning of each Congress (first
and second sessions). There is no real difference between a bill and
a joint resolution. Joint resolutions generally are used for limited
matters, such as a single appropriation for a specific purpose. They
are also used to propose amendments to the Constitution. A joint resolution
has the force of law, if approved. Joint resolutions become a part of
the Constitution when three-quarters of the states have ratified them;
they do not require the President's signature.
Concurrent Resolutions
| H.Con.Res |
House Concurrent Resolution |
| S.Con.Res. |
Senate Concurrent Resolution |
A concurrent resolution is a legislative proposal that requires the
approval of both houses but does not require the signature of the President
and does not have the force of law. Concurrent resolutions generally
are used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. They are
also used to express the sentiments of both of the houses. For example,
a concurrent resolution is used to set the time of Congress' adjournment.
It may also be used by Congress to convey congratulations to another
country on the anniversary of its independence.
Simple Resolutions
| H.Res |
House Simple Resolution |
| S.Res. |
Senate Simple Resolution |
A simple resolution is a legislative proposal that addresses matters
entirely within the prerogative of one house or the other. It requires
neither the approval of the other house nor the signature of the President,
and it does not have the force of law. Most simple resolutions concern
the rules of one house. They are also used to express the sentiments
of a single house. For example, a simple resolution may offer condolences
to the family of a deceased member of Congress, or it may give "advice"
on foreign policy or other executive business.
Reports
| H.Rpt |
House Report |
| S.Rpt. |
Senate Report |
A report is a document that presents a committee's explanation of its
action regarding legislation that has been referred to it. Each House
and Senate report is assigned a number that includes the number of the
Congress during which it is published (e.g., "H.Rpt. 105-830"
refers to a report created in the House during the 105th
Congress). Conference reports are numbered and designated in the same
way as regular House and Senate reports. Most reports favor a bill's
passage, although a bill can be reported without recommendation. When
a committee report is not unanimous, the dissenting committee members
may file a statement of their views (minority views) in a minority report.
A reported version of a bill references the applicable report number.
Note: Reports may be found in the Congressional
Reports database on GPO Access.
(ath) Agreed to House
(ats) Agreed to Senate
This phrase describes concurrent or simple resolutions. These types
of legislation are not "passed" in the manner of a regular
bill; rather they are "agreed to" in the House or Senate.
(cdh) Committee Discharge House
(CDs) Committee Discharge Senate
This phrase describes a motion to discharge a committee from considering
a bill. The motion requires a majority vote from that committee.
(cph) Considered and Passed House
(cps) Considered and Passed Senate
This phrase indicates that, after being debated, a bill has been voted
on and passed by one of the two houses.
(eah) Engrossed Amendment House
(eas) Engrossed Amendment Senate
This phrase accompanies the final copy of a bill that has been passed
by one house and certified by the Clerk of the House or the Secretary
of the Senate. It includes the amendments to the text from floor action.
(eh) Engrossed in House
(Es) Engrossed in Senate
This phrase accompanies the final copy of a bill that has been passed
by one house and certified by the Clerk of the House or the Secretary
of the Senate.
(enr) Enrolled Bill
This phrase accompanies the final copy of a bill that has been passed
in identical form by both houses. It must be certified by an officer
of the house of origin (the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the
Senate) and then sent on for the signatures of the Speaker of the House,
the President of the Senate, and the U.S. President. An enrolled bill
is printed on parchment.
(ih) Introduced in House
(is) Introduced in Senate
This phrase indicates that a bill has been introduced in either the
House or the Senate. In the Senate, any number of senators may introduce
a single bill; in the House, a limit of 25 representatives may cosponsor
a bill. Many bills are actually committee bills and therefore are introduced
under the name of the (sub)committee's chairperson as a formality.
(pch) Placed on Calendar House
(PCs) Placed on Calendar Senate
This phrase accompanies a bill that is pending before committees of
either house. The bill is assigned a calendar number, which determines
when it will be considered by that house.
(rah) Referred w/Amendments House
(ras) Referred w/Amendments Senate
This phrase indicates that an engrossed bill has been passed from one
house to the other, requesting concurrence.
(rch) Reference Change House
(rcs) Reference Change Senate
This phrase indicates a change in the referral of a bill, which requires
the unanimous consent of the members of the house in question.
(rdh) Received in House
(rds) Received in Senate
This phrase indicates that a bill has been accepted for consideration
in one house.
(rfh) Referred in House
(rfs) Referred in Senate
This phrase indicates that, after being introduced, a bill has been
directed to the committees that have jurisdiction over the subject with
which the bill is concerned. (Bills are referred by the Speaker in the
House and the Presiding Officer in the Senate.)
(rh) Reported in House
(RS) Reported in Senate
This phrase accompanies a committee's report of its findings and recommendations
to the parent house after it has examined a bill. The version of the
bill as reported includes changes, if any, that have been recommended
by the committee.
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