congress

Related to congress: Indian National Congress, House of Representatives

act of Congress

That which is extremely difficult to achieve or requires a large amount of effort or patience to enact. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. It's like you have to have an act of Congress before the city council will pay to fix the roads in this town. Trying to get my doctor on the phone is like an act of Congress!
See also: act, congress, of

it would take an act of Congress to (do something)

Something is extremely difficult to achieve or requires a large amount of effort or patience to enact. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. Oh please, it would take an act of Congress to get the city council to pay to fix the roads in this town. I didn't even bother calling my doctor because I know it would take an act of Congress to get him on the phone.
See also: act, congress, of, take

sexual congress

Sexual intercourse. As there was no hard evidence that sexual congress occurred outside of marriage, the judge was obliged to uphold the prenuptial agreement during the divorce proceedings.
See also: congress, sexual
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

It would take an act of Congress to do something.

It is almost impossible to do something. It would take an act of Congress to get Bill to wear a necktie. She's a sour woman. It would take an act of Congress to get her to put a smile on her face.
See also: act, congress, of, take
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • act of Congress
  • it would take an act of Congress to (do something)
  • It would take an act of Congress to do
  • the patience of a saint
  • the patience of a saint/of Job
  • horse-trade
  • have the patience of a saint
  • grasstops
  • at (one's) wits' end
  • at one's wit's end
References in classic literature
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.
In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records, and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
Constitution of The United States
It is time to give a new look to the Congress party.
'Urge CWC, PCC members to resign, give Rahul Gandhi free hand to revamp Cong'
"The Congress is two steps ahead of the BJP in attempts to finish the BSP politically.
Congress setback as Mayawati rules out alliance in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
Speaking on the preparation of the state congress in Ilorin on Friday night, Senator Hussein debunked every insinuation of a parallel congress by any aggrieved party member in the state, saying that the party is doing well in the state and at the federal level.
APC State congress: We have only 1 APC in Kwara aCongress committee chair
Among members of the 115th Congress, 91 percent described themselves as Christians, not far from the 95 percent Christians in the 87th Congress.
How Christian Is The New Congress?
He is not really bothered about the electoral loss and gain of the Congress in states like Tripura, West Bengal or Kerala," Barman told M AIL T ODAY on Thursday.
Rebel Cong neta does a Himanta
-- Congress' harshest critics -- the 53% of Americans who rate the job Congress is doing as poor or bad -- feel more strongly about the undue influence that donors and lobbyists have on Congress than they do about any other major criticism of the institution.
Congress' Harshest Critics Identify a Crisis of Influence