congressional

Con congressional is an adjective that denotes relation to a congress, the formal legislative assembly in certain countries. In the United States, Congress is a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses—the Senate and the House of Representatives—and congressional matters pertain to this body or its members. The term is used to describe elections, districts, committees, hearings, and records associated with Congress.

Common uses include congressional elections, which determine party control of the House, the Senate, or both, and congressional districts, the geographic constituencies that elect members of the House. Congressional committees organize and oversee specific policy areas, while congressional hearings are formal investigations or fact-finding sessions held by those committees. The Congressional Record is the official verbatim transcript of proceedings and debates in Congress.

Beyond the United States, many other nations organize their legislatures as congresses or have a body named a National Congress. In those contexts, congressional can describe similar features—congressional sessions, committees, or leaders—though local terminology and institutional arrangements may differ. The term is widely used in political reporting, analysis, and history to refer to actions, debates, and decisions connected to the legislative branch.

Etymology traces congressional to congress, from Latin congressus meaning a meeting or coming together. The adjective has been in use in English since the 18th century to describe things related to that legislative institution and its work.