The Branches of the United States Government

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The Branches of the United States Government
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Executive Branch
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Executive Branch

• The power of the executive branch is vested in
  the President, who also serves as Commander in
  Chief of the Armed Forces. The President appoints
  the Cabinet and oversees the various agencies and
  departments of the federal government.

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Executive Branch

• In order for a person to become President, he or
  she must be a natural-born citizen of the United
  States, be at least 35 years of age, and have
  resided in the United States for at least 14
  years. Once elected, the President serves a term
  of four years and may be re-elected only once.

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Judicial Branch
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Judicial Branch

• The judicial branch hears cases that challenge or
  require interpretation of the legislation passed
  by Congress and signed by the President. It
  consists of the Supreme Court and the lower
  federal courts. Appointees to the federal bench
  serve for life or until they voluntarily resign
  or retire.

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Judicial Branch

• The Supreme Court is the most visible of all the
  federal courts.
• The number of Justices is determined by Congress
  rather than the Constitution, and since 1869, the
  Court has been composed of one Chief Justice and
  eight Associate Justices.
• Justices are nominated by the President and
  confirmed by the Senate.

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Judicial Branch

• U.S. Supreme Court
• Federal Judicial Center
• U.S. Federal Courts
• The U.S. Code
• U.S. Tax Court
• Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)

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U.S. Courts of Appeals

• 13 Circuits
• Twelve have jurisdiction over cases from
  particular geographical areas
• The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Nominated by the President, confirmed by Senate,
  and serve for life

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Legislative Branch
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Legislative Branch

• The legislative branch of the federal government
  consists of the Congress, which is divided into
  two chambers -- the Senate and the House of
  Representatives.
• Each member of Congress is elected by the people
  of his or her state.

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Legislative Branch

• The House of Representatives, with membership
  based on state populations, has 435 seats, while
  the Senate, with two members from each state, has
  100 seats.
• Members of the House of Representatives are
  elected for two-year terms, and Senators are
  elected for six-year terms.

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Legislative Branch

• The House of Representatives
• The Senate
• The Library of Congress
• The General Accounting Office
• The Government Printing Office