joint sessions
Merged legislative assemblies
Joint sessions occur when two legislative bodies that normally meet separately convene together for a specific purpose.
In the United States, joint sessions of Congress bring the House and Senate together, most commonly to hear the president's State of the Union address or to count electoral votes following a presidential election.
The joint session certified the election results.
These gatherings carry ceremonial weight and are governed by specific procedural rules.
- State of the UnionPresidential report to Congress
- voteFormal choice expression
- bipartisan supportAgreement across party lines
- speechOral communication ability
- opening remarksInitial statements beginning discourse
standing ovation · quorum · bicameralism · chair · reconciliation process · Congress · roll call vote · negotiation · coalition building · presiding officer · debate · sworn testimony · consensus-building · divorce mediation · family therapy · group therapy · memorial service · national mourning
- Congresssenator, representative, senators, House, bill
- legislative powerslawmaking, appropriations, impeachment, veto override, war powers
- Senatesenate seat, Senate floor, senior senator, Senate chamber, confirmation hearings
- Congressional Recordproceedings, debates, official transcript, transcripts, remarks
joint sessionsexecutive sessions
Private governmental meetings
closed sessions · closed-door sessions · one-on-one meetings
joint sessionsunilateral action