The German Federal Council, also known as the Bundesrat, is the upper house of the German parliament. It is a legislative body that represents the sixteen German states and plays a crucial role in the legislative process. The functions of the German Federal Council include approving or rejecting laws passed by the lower house, proposing legislation, and overseeing the administration of the federation. As the Bundesrat is a significant part of Germany's political structure, it has several synonyms that describe its functions, such as the German Upper House, Federal Chamber, Legislative Council, and State Council. These synonyms are used interchangeably in various contexts to refer to the same institution.