term:

Congress

congress n

[Latin congressus meeting, encounter, from congredi to approach, meet]
1 : a formal meeting of delegates
2 a : the supreme legislative body of a nation and esp. a republic
b cap
: the legislative branch of the United States government
;specif
: the U.S. House of Representatives
3 cap
a : the U.S. legislature as it is composed for an enumerated two-year period [the 101st Congress]
b : a single session of the U.S. legislature see also house of representatives, senate Article I of the Constitution in the back matter
con·gres·sion·al adj

con·gres·sion·al·ly adv

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.