Institutional power file · House & Senate
United States Congress
How legislation, appropriations, oversight, confirmations and impeachment give Congress leverage over the executive and federal policy.
Power mechanisms
Where authority actually moves
How the institution works
Evergreen explainersHow Power Works
How US Impeachment Actually Works
The House can impeach a federal official by majority vote, but removal from office requires a separate Senate trial and a two-thirds vote of senators present.
How Power WorksHow Congress Can Actually Constrain a US President
Congress can legislate, control appropriations, conduct oversight and use confirmation and impeachment powers, but each mechanism has its own voting thresholds and political limits.
Latest analysis
10 related pieces2026-10-01
Analysis
Analysis
The Midterms Are Becoming a Referendum on How Much Power Trump Keeps
Republican candidates are trying to use the president's coalition without inheriting every cost of his foreign and domestic agenda. Congressional control will determine the institutional room for the second half of his term.
2026-10-31
Analysis
Analysis
Alaska's Senate Certification Lawsuit Tests Whether Washington Can Pause a State Election
A federal request for a conditional injunction over two similarly named candidates raises a question that reaches beyond one Senate seat: who has authority to delay certification?
2026-10-02
Analysis
Analysis
Brazil's Election Could Shift Power Beyond the Presidency
Lula is narrowly ahead of Flávio Bolsonaro before the first round, but two-thirds of the Senate is also being elected. The institutional balance after October may matter more than the presidential margin.
2026-10-30
Analysis
Analysis
US Midterm Voting Dispute Puts the Boundary Between Federal and State Power Before a Judge
Days before the 3 November election, a federal court is demanding disclosure of Justice Department letters to state election officials. The issue is authority, evidence and the limits of emergency judicial intervention.
2026-10-29
Analysis
Analysis
Brazil's Election Result Is Settled; the Fight Over Political Authority Is Not
The electoral court confirmed Lula's 51.79% victory. Flávio Bolsonaro's refusal to accept it raises a separate test of institutions and opposition leadership.
2026-10-25
Analysis
Analysis
Brazil's Lula-Bolsonaro Runoff Tests Electoral Legitimacy and the Limits of Presidential Power
A close second-round vote will decide Brazil's presidency, but institutional acceptance and congressional power will determine the transition.
2026-10-18
Analysis
Analysis
Czech Senate Election 2026: Opposition Retains a Constitutional Check on Babiš
Czech opposition parties won most contested Senate seats as ANO secured none. The result limits constitutional leverage without removing Babiš's lower-house majority.
2026-10-16
Analysis
Analysis
The EU's 2027 Budget Dispute Shows How Parliament and Council Contest Spending Power
Parliament's budget committee wants to reverse Council cuts and increase spending above the Commission proposal, testing the balance between EU institutions.
2026-10-13
Analysis
Analysis
Morocco's New Coalition Has a Majority. Its Real Test Is the Distribution of Power
A four-party coalition has secured 207 of 395 seats after September's election. The parliamentary majority clarifies government formation but not the boundaries of royal authority.
2026-10-11
Analysis
Analysis
A Federal Judge Has Drawn a Boundary Around Washington's Role in Voter Rolls
The October 9 ruling vacates a Justice Department voter-list policy on statutory and privacy grounds. It does not bar lawful eligibility checks or resolve every dispute over federal election powers.
Primary record
Start with the institution itself
These links provide the formal rules or institutional description underlying this power file. State & Power analysis is kept separate from the primary record.