The Three Branches of The Three Branches of Government in AmericaGovernment in America

The Executive The Executive BranchBranch

The Legislative The Legislative BranchBranch

The Judicial BranchThe Judicial Branch

The Executive BranchThe Executive Branch

The office of the PresidentThe office of the President Responsible for executing and enforcing Responsible for executing and enforcing

the lawthe law Serves as Commander and Chief of the Serves as Commander and Chief of the

armed forcesarmed forces Can approve or veto acts of CongressCan approve or veto acts of Congress Makes foreign treatiesMakes foreign treaties Nominates Supreme Court and federal Nominates Supreme Court and federal

judgesjudges Can submit legislationCan submit legislation

Checks and Balances on Executive Checks and Balances on Executive PowersPowers

Congress can Congress can • Reject proposed legislationReject proposed legislation• Override executive vetoesOverride executive vetoes• Impeach and remove the presidentImpeach and remove the president

Senate can refuse executive Senate can refuse executive nominees and treatiesnominees and treaties

Supreme Court can declare executive Supreme Court can declare executive acts unconstitutionalacts unconstitutional

The Legislative BranchThe Legislative Branch

House of Representatives/ The House of Representatives/ The SenateSenate

Passes all federal legislationPasses all federal legislation Passes the federal budgetPasses the federal budget Approves treatiesApproves treaties Approves presidential appointeesApproves presidential appointees Can impeach and remove the Can impeach and remove the

president and override the president and override the president’s veto with a 2/3 votepresident’s veto with a 2/3 vote

Checks and Balances on the Checks and Balances on the Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

Both the Senate and the House must Both the Senate and the House must approve a law in order for it to passapprove a law in order for it to pass

President able to veto legislationPresident able to veto legislation Supreme Court can rule state and Supreme Court can rule state and

federal laws unconstitutionalfederal laws unconstitutional

The Judicial BranchThe Judicial Branch

Can invalidate laws made by the Can invalidate laws made by the legislature on grounds of legislature on grounds of unconstitutionalityunconstitutionality

By the same token, it can invalidate By the same token, it can invalidate actions made by the executive actions made by the executive branchbranch

Checks and Balances on the Checks and Balances on the Judicial BranchJudicial Branch

Congress canCongress can• Change the number of courts and their Change the number of courts and their

jurisdictionjurisdiction• Impeach and remove federal judgesImpeach and remove federal judges• Propose amendments to the Propose amendments to the

Constitution to side-step the Courts’ Constitution to side-step the Courts’ decisionsdecisions

President appoints federal judges President appoints federal judges who must be approved of by who must be approved of by CongressCongress