Branches of Government

The Three Branches of

Government

Legislative Branch – Makes the laws. Made up of the

House of Representatives and the Senate.

Judicial Branch – Judges/interprets the laws - The

Court system for the U.S. The highest court in

America is the Supreme Court

Executive Branch – Enforces/Carries out the laws.

Headed by the President and Vice President.

Branches of Government

(cont’d)

All branches are equally powerful.

Each branch has its own responsibility.

Checks and Balances makes sure one branch

never becomes too powerful

Legislative Branch Legislature is made up

of House and Senate.

A new session of Congress begins the first week in January of every odd numbered year.

Lawmaking branch of the Federal government.

Also controls spending.

House of Reps

One rep for each 30,00 residents. House has 435

members.

Senate

Composed of two

Senators from

each state,

regardless of size

or population.

Senate has 100

members.

Legislative Branch (cont’d)

House of Representatives

Members elected based on population.

Number of Reps for each state varies.

Elected for 2 year terms.

Presiding officer of the House is the Speaker of the House.

House of Representatives

(cont’d)

Qualifications:

Must be 25 years old

Must be a citizen of

the U.S. for seven

years.

Must be a resident of

the state that elects

you. North Dakota

Representative

Earl Pomeroy

The U.S. Senate Two senators per

state regardless of population.

Senators are elected for 6 year terms.

Led by the Vice President of the United States.

President pro Tempore – presiding officer when VP is gone.

United States Senate (cont’d)

Qualifications:

Must be at least 30 years old.

Must be a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years.

Must be a resident of the state that elects you.

Both Senators and Representatives make $162,500 per year.

North Dakota

Senator Kent

Conrad

North Dakota

Senator Byron

Dorgan

Pop Quiz!!

1. What two houses make up Congress?

2. How long is a representative elected for?

3. Who is North Dakota’s U.S. Representative?

4. Why do we have only one?

5. What is the title given to the presiding officer

of the house?

1. Bonus: Who is the person currently in that

position?

6. How long is a senator elected for?

7. Who are North Dakota’s current U.S.

senators?

8. How many total senators are there?

9. What are the titles of the two presiding

officers of the senate?

10. How many representatives serve in the

house?

1. What two houses make up Congress?

Senate and House of Representatives

2. How long is a representative elected for?

2 years

3. Who is North Dakota’s U.S. Representative?

Early Pomeroy

4. Why do we have only one?

Based on Population ~ ND has a small population

5. What is the title given to the presiding officer of the

house?

Speaker of the House

1. Bonus: Who is the person currently in that position?

Nancy Pelosi

6. How long is a senator elected for?

6 years

7. Who are North Dakota’s current U.S.

senators?

Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan

8. How many total senators are there?

100

9. What are the titles of the two presiding

officers of the senate?

Vice President and President Pro Tempore

10. How many representatives serve in the

house?

435

Bills

Thousands of bills are introduced each year.

Both houses use committees to evaluate proposed bills.

Types of Committees: Standing, Subcommittees, select committees, joint committees, and conference committees.

What are the committees?

http://faculty.ucc.edu/egh-

damerow/committes.htm

Click on a few links to check out a couple different

types of committees.

Bill Process

Committees can pigeonhole a bill, meaning they kill it without really looking at it.

Once a committee approves the bill, it goes to the full House or Senate for debate.

Congress either approves, rejects, or sends the bill back to the committee.

When both houses pass the bill it goes to the president to be signed into law.

The president can veto the bill if he does not approve.

Pocket veto: the president's failure to sign it within ten days of the Congress’ end of session.

It can still become law with a 2/3 vote.

A bill may start in either the House of

Representatives or the Senate, except for

money bills, which must start in the House.

Senate → House → President → law

Goes back for adjustments

Send back for changes

veto

Pocket

veto

Can override with a 2/3 vote

Get into a groups of three either on the House

side or the Senate side.

Create a bill that you would like to be added to

our legislature.

Meet with entire Senate/House and discuss

bills. Pass/Veto

Give passed bills to other part of Congress.

Discuss those bills. Pass/Veto.

Give passed bills to President. Pass/Veto.

Take another look at vetoed bills, vote for 2/3

majority to pass.

The Executive Branch

Executive Branch is

headed by the President

and Vice President

President today: Barack

Obama

Vice President: Joe

Biden

Main goal is to enforce

the laws enacted by

Congress.

Requirements for Presidency

Must be at least 35

years old

Must be a natural

born U.S. citizen.

Resident of the U.S.

for at least 14 years.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

“So help me God” is added by the Presidents.

Powers and Duties of the President

Commander in Chief

All decisions regarding the Army, Navy, Air

Force, and Marines. He can also call the National

Guard.

Powers

Chief Executive

Makes sure all of his cabinet, staff, and other

employees are doing their jobs correctly.

Powers

Chief of State

In charge of all foreign relations.

Powers

Chief Legislator

Power to approve or disapprove of the laws that

Congress is making.

Powers

Chief of Party

When he is elected President, he becomes the head

of his political party, Republican or Democratic.

Electoral College States vote for President.

Each state has a group of assigned electors. Some for each political party.

Electors: individuals who elect the President

If their candidate wins the popular vote they go to the D.C. and cast their vote for the candidate.

Each state only has as many electoral votes as it does representatives in Congress.

ND has three electors.

What if there is a tie? House of Representatives votes.

Order of Succession

What happens if the President is killed?

1st Person: Vice President

2nd Person: Speaker of the House

3rd Person: President pro Tempore (Senate)

4th Person: Secretary of State

Presidential Odds n’ Ends

Salary of the: President: $400,000

Vice President: $198,600

Elections are held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Inaugurations are held January 20 the year following the election.

Oath of Office administered by the Chief Justice of Supreme Court

Impeach: To be accused of wrongdoing while in office.

Impeachment Trials:

Begin in the House

Senate acts as the Jury.

Only two Presidents have ever been impeached:

Andrew Johnson

Bill Clinton

Judicial Branch

Main job of the Judicial Branch is to judge the laws passed by Congress and approved by the President.

Highest court in the land: Supreme Court.

Led by 9 Supreme Court Justices.

Supreme Court

Supreme Court

Justices:

Appointed for life or

until retirement.

Nine Justices with one

Chief Justice (John

Roberts)

Justices are appointed

by the President and

Confirmed by

Congress.

Supreme Court (cont’d)

Supreme Court

Powers and

Responsibilities

Determine

Constitutionality of laws

passed by Congress.

Judge meaningful cases

with the Constitution.

Interpret the

Constitution.

Constitutional Amendments

2 ways amendments are passed: 1st way

Bill must pass both houses of Congress with a 2/3 majority.

Once passed by Congress the bill goes to individual state legislatures for approval.

2nd way Convention called by 2/3 of

states

Propose one or more amendments.

Must be passed by ¾ of states.

Judicial Branch Odds n’ Ends

Treason – The act of

disloyalty to ones country.

To be convicted: must

have testimony of two

witnesses to the same act

or a confession.

$$$$$$$$$$

Chief Justice makes around

$202,900

Associate Justices make

$194,200.

Current Justices:

Chief Justice: John Roberts

Associate Justices: Choose 3

Elena Kagan (NEW)

Samuel Alito

Antonin Scalia

Anthony Kennedy

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Clarence Thomas

Sonia Sotomayor

Stephen Breyer