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The Three Branches of Government
What Congress, the president and the courts do, and how they check each other.
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- Legislative branchTermCongress; makes the laws
- Executive branchTermThe president and agencies; carry out the laws
- Judicial branchTermThe courts; interpret the laws
- CongressTermThe Senate and the House of Representatives together
- SenateTermPart of Congress with 100 members, two from each state
- House of RepresentativesTermPart of Congress with 435 voting members, based on state population
- Senator's termTermSix years
- Representative's termTermTwo years
- President's termTermFour years
- Vice presidentTermTakes over if the president cannot serve and presides over the Senate
- CabinetTermAdvisers who lead major departments
- Federal agencyTermPart of the executive branch that does a specific job, like the FDA or NASA
- Supreme CourtTermThe nation's highest court, with nine justices
- Federal judgeTermJudge appointed by the president and approved by the Senate; serves for life
- JusticeTermA member of the Supreme Court
- Chief JusticeTermThe leader of the Supreme Court
- BillTermA proposed law
- LawTermA rule made by government
- VetoTermPresident says no to a bill
- OverrideTermCongress passes a bill again over a veto with a two-thirds vote
- Separation of powersTermSplitting government power among three branches
- Checks and balancesTermEach branch has ways to limit the others
- Congress checks the presidentTermBy passing laws, controlling funds and impeaching officials
- President checks CongressTermBy vetoing bills
- Courts check Congress and the presidentTermBy ruling that laws or actions are unconstitutional
- Senate checks the presidentTermBy confirming nominees and approving treaties
- President checks the courtsTermBy nominating judges
- Congress checks the courtsTermBy approving judges, creating lower courts and proposing amendments
- ImpeachTermTo charge an official with serious wrongdoing
- ConfirmTermTo approve a nominee, which the Senate does
- NominateTermTo propose someone for a job
- TreatyTermAgreement with another nation, made by the president with Senate approval
- Commander in chiefTermThe president as head of the military
- Declare warTermPower given to Congress
- Pass a budgetTermCongress decides how federal money is spent
- Regulate tradeTermCongress can set rules for trade between states and with other countries
- Interpret lawsTermCourts decide what laws mean
- Judicial reviewTermCourts can decide a law goes against the Constitution
- Appeals courtTermCourt that reviews decisions of lower courts
- District courtTermFederal trial court
- Executive orderTermDirective from the president to run the executive branch
- PardonTermPresident's power to forgive a federal crime
- Speaker of the HouseTermLeader of the House of Representatives
- Majority leaderTermSenate or House leader of the largest party
- CommitteeTermSmall group of members who study bills in detail
- FilibusterTermUsing long speeches to delay a vote in the Senate
- QuorumTermMinimum number of members needed to do business
- Term limitTermLimit on how long someone may hold an office
- ConstituentTermA person represented by an elected official
- LobbyistTermPerson who tries to influence lawmakers on behalf of a group
- Federal budgetTermPlan for how the national government will spend and raise money
- CapitolTermBuilding in Washington, DC where Congress meets
- White HouseTermResidence and office of the president
- Supreme Court buildingTermIn Washington, DC, with the words 'Equal Justice Under Law'
- Marbury v. MadisonTerm1803 case that established judicial review
- Number of justicesTermNine; the number is set by Congress
- Why three branches?TermSo no single group has too much power
- Executive departmentsTermFifteen major departments such as State, Treasury, Defense and Education
- Secretary of StateTermCabinet member who handles foreign relations
- Attorney GeneralTermHead of the Justice Department
- Independent agencyTermFederal agency not part of a cabinet department
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