In the United States of America, laws are made on the national level. These are called federal laws because they are made by the federal government, and everyone must follow them.

Federal laws are made by Congress on all kinds of matters, such as speed limits on highways. These laws make sure that all people are kept safe. The United States Congress is the lawmaking body of the federal government. Congress has two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Laws start in Congress. When someone in the House of Representatives or the Senate wants to make a law, they start by writing a bill, which is a draft of the proposed law. Each Congress lasts about two years. During that time, senators and representatives may introduce thousands of bills. However, only some of those bills will eventually become laws.

The bill has to be voted on by both houses of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. If they both vote for the bill to become a law, the bill is sent to the President of the United States. He or she can choose whether or not to sign the bill. If the president signs the bill, it becomes a law. If the president decides not to sign the bill into law, it is called a veto and the bill is sent back to Congress. Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate, in which case the bill would then become a law.