U.S. Federal Gvernment MS. IRAIDA R. MENDEZ-CARTAYA ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, GRANTS ADMINISTRATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
U.S. Cnstitutin The supreme law f the natin Separates and balances gvernmental pwers Safeguards the interests f majrity rule, & minrity rights f liberty and equality fr all Divides the federal gvernment U.S. Gvernment: Organizatinal Structure 2 Separates pwers int three legislative branches t avid arbitrary pwer; written and signed n 1787. Sets limits f gvernment; pwer in the hands f the citizens
3 Six Fundatinal Principles U.S. Cnstitutin
Six Fundatinal Principles I. Ppular svereignty 4 Surce f gvernmental pwer lies with the peple fr the benefit f its citizen II. Limited gvernment U.S. gvernment is required t fllw its wn laws based n pwer given by the peple III. Separatin f pwers Gvernment divided int three branches t establish equal divisin f pwer
Six Fundatinal Principles IV. Checks and balances 5 Each branch f gvernment has a certain number f checks it can use V. Judicial review Pwer that allws the U.S. Supreme Curt t decide whether acts and laws are cnstitutinal VI. Federalism Idea that central gvernment des nt cntrl the natin; states als have reserved pwers.
Bill f Rights 6 First 10 amendments f the Cnstitutin Prtects individual freedms and rights, and limits gvernment pwers Guarantees fr citizens include: freedm f speech, religin, press and assembly; right t keep and bear arms; prtectin frm unreasnable searches & seizures; trial by jury fr prtectin frm unfair treatment in lawsuit cases.
7 Three Branches f U.S. Gvernment Legislative Executive Judicial
Cnsists f tw huses: The Legislative Branch 8 The Senate and the Huse f Representatives (Bicameral) Sle authrity t: create laws, enact legislatin that are frwarded t the President fr apprval t becme laws; maintain the military and declare war; cnfirm r reject Presidential appintments; investigate matters that pse cnflict t the laws f the natin; supervise and prvide balance t the executive and judicial branches; and verride presidential vet with a tw-thirds majrity vte in bth huses.
The Executive Branch 9 President f the United States serves as the Cmmander-in-Chief and head f the executive branch. Oversees the implementatin and enfrcement f laws passed by Cngress, and invests pwers in the: President f the United States; Vice President; Cabinet; and Cmmissins, bards and cmmittees that execute, enfrce and administer the laws f the natin.
The Cabinet 10 Main rle is t advise the President n subjects relating t the functin f each department. Agriculture Cmmerce U.S. Departments USDA DOC Defense DOD President appints Cabinet, which includes: the Vice President; 15 executive department leads r secretaries; and the Attrney General. Educatin Energy Health and Human Service Hmeland Security Husing and Urban Develpment Interir Justice Labr State Transprtatin Treasury Veterans Affairs ED DOE HHS DHS HUD DOI DOJ DOL DOS DOT USDT VA
The Judicial Branch 11 Cnsists f U.S. Supreme Curt, the highest curt in the natin, and lwer federal curts, including the Curts f Appeal, federal district curts, bankruptcy curts, and curts f federal claims. Nine appinted judges, wh serve fr life, are nminated by the President and cnfirmed by the Senate. Interprets laws and renders decisins n whether laws vilate the intent f the Cnstitutin Functins independent f the ther tw branches - subject t checks and balances by the U.S. Cnstitutin.
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U.S. Cngress 13 Cngress is cmprised f the U.S. Huse f Representatives and U.S. Senate - Bicameral Tw huses f Cngress have equal but unique rles in the federal gvernment with specific cnstitutinal duties and pwers Cngress: creates and/r amend laws in alignment with the Cnstitutin that influence the daily lives f peple; prvides each state a vice in the Senate, while representatin in the Huse f Representatives is based n the ppulatin f each state; and exercises significant latitude t shape the structure f the federal judiciary.
U.S. Senate: Upper Chamber 14 Pwer f advice and cnsent, such as cnfirmatin f federal executive fficials, and cnducts trials f impeachment Each f the 50 states in the Unin is equally represented by tw Senatrs, regardless f the state s size r ppulatin. Senatrs serve six-year terms and are ppularly elected. Vice President serves as President f the Senate and is able t vte t break a tie.
U.S. Huse f Representatives: Lwer Chamber 15 Members: intrduce bills, reslutins, amendments, and serve n select cmmittees; and serve specific cngressinal districts & elected t tw-year terms. The number f representatives is prprtinate t the state s ppulatin. Maximum number f representatives with full vting rights is 435, as set by the Apprtinment Act, Public Law 62-5. Five delegates, additinally, represent the District f Clmbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Sama, and the Cmmnwealth f the Nrthern Mariana Islands; One resident cmmissiner represents Puert Ric. Delegates may nt vte when the Huse is meeting as the Huse f Representatives, althugh pssess the same pwers as ther members f the Huse.
16 U.S. Presidential Electins
Electin Prcess 17 Presidential electin prcess - established by the U.S. Cnstitutin - t elect a president and vice president. Electins held first Tuesday in Nvember; cincides with Cngressinal electins. Prcess includes the Electral Cllege Electrs are generally selected by the candidate s plitical party t: represent each state based n the number f members in the Huse, the Senate and the District f Clmbia, which carries three Electrs; and vte indirectly t elect President (538 Electrs with a majrity f 270 Electral vtes required). President-elect serves maximum f tw, fur-year terms Pssible t win the ppular natinwide vte, and lse the electin t ffice - based n the Electral Cllege s vte
Appints: Rle f U.S. President 18 Supreme Curt justices and lwer federal curt judges; must be cnfirmed by Senate Cabinet cmprised f department secretaries and agency leads Acts as Cmmander-In-Chief f the military Issues Executive Orders t achieve plicy bjectives Negtiates internatinal treaties Vetes legislatin passed by Cngress Grants pardns and reprieves fr Federal gvernment Serves as head f his/her plitical party
U.S. Plitical System 19 Federal system f gvernment that ranges frm the federal gvernment, t state and lcal gvernments; nly federal and state are addressed in the Cnstitutin. American plitical system is dminated by tw parties; Demcratic and Republican. U.S. Cnstitutin allws Cngress t add new states t the Unin; frm 13 riginal states t 50 and ne federal district - The District f Clumbia which is nt part f any state. State gvernments are nt subunits f federal gvernment; they are svereign entities. U.S. Cnstitutin supersedes state cnstitutins and laws in disagreements.
U.S. Federal Gvernment Thank Yu Iraida R. Mendez-Cartaya, Assciate Superintendent (305) 995-1497 Imendez@dadeschls.net