Concurrent resolution

A concurrent resolution is a resolution (a legislative measure) adopted by both houses of a bicameral legislature that lacks the force of law (is non-binding) and does not require the approval of the chief executive.

United States Congress

In the United States Congress, a concurrent resolution is a resolution passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate but is not presented to the President and does not have the force of law. In contrast, joint resolutions and bills are presented to the President and, once signed or approved over a veto, are enacted and have the force of law.

Concurrent resolutions are generally used to address the sentiments of both chambers or deal with issues or matters affecting both houses. Examples of concurrent resolutions include:

• providing for a recess or adjournment of more than three days during the session of Congress (required by Article I, Section 5 of the United States Constitution, "Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.")
• permitting the use of the Capitol rotunda, which is under the control of both Houses
• providing for a joint session of Congress, normally to hear a message from the President, such as the State of the Union address
• correcting the enrollment of a bill that has already passed both Houses
• asking the President to return a bill that has been presented to him, before he has signed or vetoed the bill
• launching the budget process
• creating a temporary joint committee

Sometimes, before the Supreme Court of the United States ended the practice in its decision in Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha 462 U.S. 919 (1983), concurrent resolutions were used to override executive actions via a mechanism known as the legislative veto.

If both houses of Congress were to ever censure a President (which has never happened – both the House and Senate have done so individually, but so far never together) it would, according to parliamentary procedure, be a concurrent resolution, as a joint resolution requires the President's signature or veto and has the power of law. A concurrent resolution does not have the power of law nor require action by the executive to take force.

Concurrent resolutions originating in the Senate are abbreviated S.Con.Res. and those originating in the House are abbreviated H.Con.Res.