The President of the USA.

Words and expressions

1. term of office

2. a native-born citizen

3. is elected directly by the voters

4. carry out

5. over-ridden

6. resigns or becomes permanently disabled

7. an impeachment process

8. sufficient evidence

The President of the United States is chosen in national elections for a four-year term of office, with no more that two full terms allowed. He must be a native-born citizen at least 35 years old. As is true with Senators and Representatives, The President is elected directly by the voters (through state electors). In other words, the political party with the most Senators and Representatives does not choose the President.

As a head of the Executive Branch the President must carry out the government programmes adopted by Congress. He recommends programmes and laws to Congress and requests money for federal government operations. If a President “vetoes” or refuses to sign a bill passed by Congress, his veto may be over-ridden by two-third vote of both Houses of Congress. The President appoints federal judges ambassadors and hundreds of governmental official, and assign duties to the elected Vice-President. If a President dies, resigns or becomes permanently disabled, the Vice President takes his duties until the next elections.

Under the US Constitution a sitting President may be removed from office before his term expires only by an impeachment process that begins with the House of Representatives. If upon sufficient evidence, the House drafts a “bill of impeachment”, which must be approved by two-thirds of its membership, a trial in the Senate, with the Chief Justice of the United States, acting as the judge, and the Senators, as the jury, follows.

Congress.

Words and expressions

1. are elected every two years for six-year terms of office

2. congressional districts

3. is based upon

4. to improve taxes

5. to coin money

6. to declare war

7. to propose amendments

8. approve and disapprove

9. ratify treaties

Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government, is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 100 Senators, two from each state. One third of the Senators are elected every two years for six-year terms of office. The Senators represent all of the people in a state and their interests.

The House has 435 members. They are elected every two years for two-year-terms. They represent the population of “congressional districts” into which each state is divided. The number of Representatives from each state is based upon its population.

The main task of Congress is to make laws. The US Constitution also gives Congress the power to improve taxes, to make rules for trade with foreign countries and states, to coin money, to organize the Armed Forces, to declare war. Another power possessed by Congress is the right to propose amendments to the Constitution whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall consider it necessary.

Under the Constitution US Senate has some special powers not given to the House of Representatives the Senate approves and disapproves major Presidential appointments of such high officials as ambassadors, Cabinet ministers, and federal judges. The Senate must also ratify, by a two-thirds vote, treaties between the USA and foreign countries.

The House of Representatives has a special power of its own. Only a member of the House can introduce a bill to raise money, but it must also be passed by the Senate before it can become law.