United States United States Government Government

BasicsBasics

Legislative BranchLegislative BranchBicameral LegislatureBicameral Legislature

Congress

Senate House of Representatives

CongressCongress Both houses Both houses

must approve all must approve all legislation legislation before the before the president can president can sign itsign it

Can override a Can override a presidential veto presidential veto with a 2/3 votewith a 2/3 vote

Majority rule for Majority rule for most votesmost votes

Congress (cont.)Congress (cont.) Majority Party Majority Party

controls schedule controls schedule in each housein each house

Speaker of the Speaker of the House most House most powerful member powerful member of Congressof Congress

SenateSenate 100 members – 100 members –

2 per state2 per state

At least 30 At least 30 years oldyears old

9 years US 9 years US citizencitizen

Resident of Resident of state elected state elected fromfrom

Senate PowersSenate Powers Confirms Confirms

presidential presidential appointments appointments like federal like federal judges and judges and Cabinet Cabinet membersmembers

Holds Holds impeachment impeachment trialstrials

Approves all Approves all treaties with treaties with foreign foreign governmentsgovernments

House of House of RepresentativesRepresentatives 435 members435 members

Minimum of 1 Minimum of 1 per stateper state

At least 25 years At least 25 years oldold

7 years US 7 years US citizencitizen

Resident of Resident of state and state and district elected district elected fromfrom

House PowersHouse Powers Starts all bill Starts all bill

that call for that call for spending of spending of moneymoney

Starts Starts impeachment impeachment proceedingsproceedings

Breaks ties in Breaks ties in Electoral Electoral CollegeCollege

Executive BranchExecutive Branch

President

CabinetDepartments

ExecutiveOffice

Agencies,Boards,

Commissions

PresidentPresident Must be at least 35Must be at least 35

Natural born Natural born citizencitizen

14 years residency 14 years residency in the USin the US

Can serve only 2 Can serve only 2 terms (22terms (22ndnd Amendment)Amendment)

These apply to VP These apply to VP alsoalso

President as Chief President as Chief ExecutiveExecutive Develops federal Develops federal

policypolicy

Enforces the lawEnforces the law

Appoints federal Appoints federal officialsofficials

Prepares the Prepares the national budgetnational budget

President’s RolePresident’s Role Commander-in-Chief of Commander-in-Chief of

the militarythe military

Makes foreign policyMakes foreign policy

Chief of State Chief of State Symbolic representativeSymbolic representative

of the nationof the nation

Annual State of the Annual State of the Union addressUnion address

President’s PowersPresident’s Powers Enforces federal lawsEnforces federal laws

Grants reprieves and Grants reprieves and pardonpardon

Appoints federal Appoints federal judges, judges, ambassadors, ambassadors, Cabinet membersCabinet members

Make treatiesMake treaties Can veto legislationCan veto legislation

Judicial BranchJudicial Branch Supreme Court Supreme Court

only court only court created by the created by the ConstitutionConstitution

All other federal All other federal courts created by courts created by CongressCongress

All federal judges All federal judges appointed by appointed by president and president and approved by approved by SenateSenate

Supreme CourtSupreme Court No stated No stated

requirements requirements for office, but for office, but usually usually experience as a experience as a lawyer or lower lawyer or lower federal judgefederal judge

Lifetime Lifetime appointmentappointment

9 members9 members

Supreme Court PowersSupreme Court Powers Final say on Final say on

cases involving cases involving federal lawfederal law

Final say on Final say on cases involving cases involving 2 or more states2 or more states

Cases involving Cases involving foreign foreign ambassadorsambassadors

Supreme Court (cont)Supreme Court (cont) Decides issues of Decides issues of

Constitutional lawConstitutional law

Most cases come on Most cases come on appeal from a lower appeal from a lower federal courtfederal court

Cases can be Cases can be appealed from a appealed from a state courtstate court

Decisions by Decisions by majority votemajority vote

Decisions are finalDecisions are final

Supreme Court (cont.)Supreme Court (cont.)

Greatest Power Greatest Power is is Judicial Judicial ReviewReview

Supreme Court Supreme Court has final say on has final say on what is and is what is and is not not constitutionalconstitutional