The US Congress is the legislative branch of the United States government, charged with creating and passing laws for the country. It is often referred to by several synonyms such as the federal legislature, the House and Senate, the Hill, or the Capitol. Additionally, the US Congress is composed of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate, thus each chamber can also be called by its name. Another synonym that refers to the US Congress is the federal government or the legislative branch of the federal government. These synonyms are used interchangeably in order to describe the function, structure, and authority of the US Congress.