Министерство финансов Российской Федерации

Всероссийская государственная налоговая академия

Legal English - 1

Английский для юристов

Учебное пособие по дисциплине

«Иностранный язык. Язык специальности»

для студентов I курса I-II групп ЮОб

Составитель: С.М.Вишнякова

Москва – 2012

The American Government of Today

System of Government in the United States

The United States is a democratic republic (a representative democracy). The national government is a government of all the people and their representatives (elected officials). It is called the federal government because the nation is a federation, or association, of states.

The US Constitution gave the federal government only limited powers, the powers stated in the Constitution. All other powers belong to the individual states.

The Founding Fathers established three branches of government: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. Each branch has different functions and powers under the principle of separation of powers. There is also a system of checks and balances so that each branch has some control over the other two branches. This way, no one group can have too much power.

The legislative branch of the US Government, or the Congress, represents all of the American states. It consists of two parts: the Senate or upper House and the House of Representatives.

The Senate is composed of 100 members, two from each state who are elected for a term of six years. One-third of the Senate is elected every two years. A senator must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for nine years, and live in the state he or she will represent.

The House of Representatives has representatives from each state depending on population, but every state no matter how small it is, has at least one representative in the chamber. A representative must be at least 25 years old, a citizen for seven years, and live in the state.

The main task of each house of Congress is the same – to make laws.

The executive branch of the government consists of the President, the Vice-President and the Cabinet. The highest executive power is with the President who must be a native-born citizen, resident in the country for 14 years, at least 35 years old and a civilian.

The President of the United States is elected every four years to a four-year term of office, with no more than two full terms allowed. The President is elected directly by the voters (through state electors).

Within the executive branch, there are thirteen executive departments. Currently these are the departments of State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, and Education. Each department is established by law and each is responsible for a specific area. The head of each department is appointed by the President. These appointments, however, must be approved by the Senate.

The President must carry out the programmes of the Government, recommend much of the legislation to the Congress.

The President is also responsible for:

1. carrying out and enforcing laws made by the Congress

2. nominating people for federal offices

3. negotiating treaties with other nations

4. conducting wars.

In addition, the President is given the power

5. to pardon people convicted of crimes

6. to send and receive ambassadors to and from other countries.

When the President receives a bill from the Congress, he must sign it, and then the bill becomes a law. However, if he disagrees with the law, he can veto it. The President can also ask the Congress to declare war. He also appoints the justices to the Supreme Court. He must do his job according to the Constitution, or he may be impeached.

The judicial branch consists of the Supreme (highest) Court, eleven Circuit Courts of Appeals, and ninety-four District Courts. This branch explains and interprets laws and makes decisions in lawsuits. It has power over the other two branches because it can declare their laws and actions unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. It consists of nine justices: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The President appoints the justices, but the Senate must approve them. The justices are appointed for life.

The United States is a federal Union, and the President is the head of the Federal government which deals with international problems and national matters. But every state has its own constitution and the state government headed by the Governor. Their laws and decisions must not contradict the Constitution of the USA.

All the power in each state is divided into executive, legislative, and judicial. Each state has its own system of courts similar to that of the Federal courts.