Three Government Branches

The United States government is made up of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Without these three entities working together, the government could not function properly. Each of these branches serves a specific role. The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. It is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The executive branch is headed up by the President of the United States. The duties that make up the executive branch include: carrying out federal laws, vetoing laws, and commanding the Armed Forces. The executive branch is also responsible for dealing with international affairs. The judicial branch is headed up by the Supreme Court. The main task of the judicial branch is to interpret laws and

to decide when they have been broken. It is apparent that none of these branches can fully function without the others. Each branch is responsible for keeping up with the other two branches to make sure they are not excessively enforcing their power. Checks and balances allow for freedom and control of the government so that it does not become too powerful.
The legislative branch is the law making body of the government.

It is the only branch that can make new laws or change existing ones and the only branch that is allowed to declare war. For a bill to become a law, it must first be passed through Congress, which is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Often, Congress is either predominantly Democrat or prominently Republican. Congress, comprised of the Senate and House, was established in the Connecticut Compromise back when the United States was just becoming a country of its own. The House of Representatives includes 435 members that represent each of the fifty states based on their population. Members of the House are elected every two years. The Senate is made up of 100 members with every state represented by two members each. The Vice-President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate. For legislation to pass, the President’s signature and majority vote from Congress are required. The legislative branch is coequal to both the executive branch and the judicial

branch.
The most common congressional committees are special and select, joint, and standing committees. Congressional committees are made up of legislators from both parties and the appointments on each committee are divided in proportion to the seats each party controls in the chamber of Congress that the committee serves.
The legislative process includes several steps:
1. Referral to a committee. Bills are referred to Congressional committees according to certain rules.
2.

Committee Action. When a bill is referred to a committee, it is placed on their calendar. If no action is taken on the bill, the bill is not going any farther in the legislative process.

3. Subcommittee review. Bills are sent to subcommittees to study and for hearings.

4. Mark-up. When the hearing are complete, sub committees are able to meet to make any changes to the bill they deem necessary.

5. Committee Action to Report a Bill. The full committee comes together to vote on the subcommittee’s report. Then they vote on whether or not it should be recommended to Congress.

6. Publication of a Written Report. After a committee votes on a reported bill, the chairman instructs the staff to put together a written report.

7. Scheduling Floor Action. When a bill is sent back to its original chamber, it is placed on the calendar.

8. Debate. Certain procedures must be followed when the bill reached either the House or the Senate.

9. Voting. After the debate, a vote is required.

10. Referral to Another Chamber. The chamber reviews the bill and can decide to accept it, reject it, or ignore it.

11. Conference Committee Action. This committee is necessary when difference between the House and Senate versions of the bill need to be

reconciled.
12. Final Actions. After Congressional approval, the bill is sent to the President. If approved, the bill becomes a law; if the bill is rejected, whether by veto or pocket veto, the legislation is discontinued.
13. Overriding a Veto. If a bill is vetoed, Congress has the power to override the President by a majority vote of two-thirds. This is an example of checks and balances.