Joint session of the United States Congress

<p>A joint session of the United States Congress is a gathering of members of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Congress/mJlU46K7">two chambers</a> of the <a href="/facts/Bicameralism/qdbjFfpm">bicameral</a> legislature of the <a href="/facts/Federal_government_of_the_United_States/VJCxUaf7">federal government of the United States</a>: the <a href="/facts/United_States_Senate/VyzXHE01">Senate</a> and the <a href="/facts/United_States_House_of_Representatives/cdBPb9pY">House of Representatives</a>. Joint sessions can be held on any special occasion, but are required to be held when the <a href="/facts/President_of_the_United_States/oMsfmLb1">president</a> delivers a <a href="/facts/State_of_the_Union/Nu68EMhy">State of the Union</a> address, when they gather to count and certify the votes of the <a href="/facts/Electoral_College_(United_States)/Uyko6bfl">Electoral College</a> as the <a href="/facts/United_States_presidential_election/kHjebjsW">presidential election</a>, or when they convene on the occasion of a <a href="/facts/United_States_presidential_inauguration/1hUMXlsh">presidential inauguration</a>. A joint meeting is usually a ceremonial or formal occasion and does not perform any legislative function, and no resolution is proposed nor vote taken.
</p><p>Joint sessions and meetings are usually held in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, and are traditionally presided over by the <a href="/facts/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives/BtGvrhK1">speaker of the House</a>. However, the Constitution requires the <a href="/facts/Vice_President_of_the_United_States/tYWUGv0A">vice president</a> (as <a href="/facts/President_of_the_Senate/somB3DdW">president of the Senate</a>) to preside over the counting of electoral votes by Congress.
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Joint session of the United States Congress open-in-new

Joint session of the United States Congress