Final answer:
A bill passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate is referred to as a Joint Resolution, marking a significant step in the legislative process that can lead to it becoming law upon the President's approval or a congressional override.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a bill is passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, this is referred to as a Joint Resolution. During the legislative process, a bill is introduced, debated, and amended in committees before reaching the floor of both chambers. Most bills never make it beyond the committee stage. For the bills that do, they must be passed in identical form in both the House and Senate and then presented to the President for approval. If the President approves, they sign it into law; if not, it can still become law through a congressional override. The process also includes a conference committee to reconcile any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
In summary, the phrase 'Joint Resolution' describes the scenario where legislation has been approved by both chambers of Congress. This is a critical step in the lawmaking process, which may conclude with the President signing the bill into law or further congressional action if the President vetoes it.