Federal government of the United States


The federal government of the United States is the national government of the United States.
The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The powers of these three branches are defined and vested by the U.S. Constitution, which has been in continuous effect since March 4, 1789. The powers and duties of these branches are further defined by acts of Congress, including the creation of executive departments and courts subordinate to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the federal division of power, the federal government shares sovereignty with each of the 50 states in their respective territories. U.S. law recognizes Indigenous tribes as possessing sovereign powers, while being subject to federal jurisdiction.

Naming

The full name of the republic is the "United States of America". No other name appears in the Constitution, and this is the name that appears on money, in treaties, and in legal cases to which the nation is a party. The terms "Government of the United States of America" or "United States Government" are often used in official documents to represent the federal government as distinct from the states collectively.
In casual conversation or writing, the term "Federal Government" is often used, and the term "U.S. Government" is sometimes used. The terms "Federal" and "National" in government agency or program names generally indicate affiliation with the federal government; for instance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Park Service. "Washington" and "White House" are sometimes used as a metonym for the federal government because Washington, D.C., is the seat of government and the latter as its headquarters, respectively.

History

The U.S. government was established in a series of initiatives in the late 18th century, starting with its decision to establish the Continental Army and appoint George Washington as its commander. The Continental Army resisted the British during the American Revolutionary War, which began in 1775. The following year, in July 1776, delegates to the Second Continental Congress, gathered at present-day Independence Hall in the colonial capital of Philadelphia, unanimously adopted the United States Declaration of Independence with each of the 56 colonial-era delegates signing it. In September 1783, the Thirteen Colonies ultimately prevailed over the British in the Revolutionary War, establishing the United States as an independent nation. On March 4, 1789, again gathered in Philadelphia, the colonies ratified and adopted the Constitution of the United States, which established the nation's federal rule of law and was largely based on federalism, republicanism and democracy.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the power of the U.S. federal government is shared between its executive, legislative, and judicial branches, state governments, and the people. It is a mixed system, neither pure republic nor pure democracy, and often described as a democratic republic, representative democracy, or constitutional republic.
The interpretation and execution of these principles, including what powers the federal government should have and how those powers can be exercised, have been debated ever since the adoption of the Constitution. Some make a case for expansive federal powers while others argue for a more limited role for the central government in relation to individuals, the states, or other recognized entities.
Since the American Civil War, the powers of the federal government have expanded greatly, although there have been periods since that time when the legislative branch was more powerful, including the decades immediately following the Civil War, or when states' rights proponents have succeeded in limiting federal power through legislative action, executive prerogative or by a constitutional interpretation by the courts.
One of the theoretical pillars of the U.S. Constitution is the idea of "checks and balances" among the powers and responsibilities of the three branches of American government: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. For example, while Congress, the federal government's legislative branch, has the power to create laws, the executive branch under the president can veto legislation, an act which, in turn, can be overridden by Congress. The president nominates judges to the nation's highest judiciary authority, the Supreme Court, but those nominees must be approved by Congress. The Supreme Court, in turn, can invalidate unconstitutional laws passed by the Congress.

Legislative branch

The United States Congress, under Article I of the Constitution, is the legislative branch of the federal government. It is bicameral, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Makeup of Congress

House of Representatives

The U.S. House of Representatives is made up of 435 voting members, each of whom represents a congressional district in a state from where they were elected. Apportionment of seats among the 50 states is determined by state populations, and it is updated after each decennial U.S. Census. Each member serves a two-year term.
In order to be elected as a representative, an individual must be at least 25 years of age, must have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and must live in the state that they represent.
In addition to the 435 voting members, there are six non-voting members, consisting of five delegates and one resident commissioner. There is one delegate each from Washington, D.C., Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and a resident commissioner from Puerto Rico.
Unlike the U.S. Senate, all members of the U.S. House must be elected and cannot be appointed. In the case of a vacancy, the seat must be filled through a special election, as required under Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution.

Senate

In contrast, the Senate is made up of two senators from each state, regardless of population. There are currently 100 senators, who each serve six-year terms. Approximately one-third of the Senate stands for election every two years.
If a vacancy occurs, the state governor appoints a replacement to complete the term or to hold the office until a special election can take place.

Separate powers

The House and Senate each have particular exclusive powers. For example, the Senate must approve many important presidential appointments, including cabinet officers, federal judges, department secretaries, U.S. military and naval officers, and ambassadors to foreign countries. All legislative bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. The approval of both chambers is required to pass all legislation, which then may only become law by being signed by the president. The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the people.
The Constitution also includes the Necessary and Proper Clause, which grants Congress the power to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers". Members of the House and Senate are elected by first-past-the-post voting in every state except Louisiana and Georgia, which have runoffs, and Maine and Alaska, which use ranked-choice voting.

Impeachment of federal officers

has the power to remove the president, federal judges, and other federal officers from office. The House of Representatives and Senate have separate roles in this process. The House must first vote to impeach the official. Then, a trial is held in the Senate to decide whether the official should be removed from office., three presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. None of the three were removed from office following trial in the Senate.

Congressional procedures

Article I, Section 2, paragraph 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives each chamber the power to "determine the rules of its proceedings". From this provision were created congressional committees, which do the work of drafting legislation and conducting congressional investigations into national matters. The 118th Congress has 20 standing committees in the House and 19 in the Senate, plus 4 joint permanent committees with members from both houses overseeing the Library of Congress, printing, taxation, and the economy. In addition, each house may name special, or select, committees to study specific problems. Today, much of the congressional workload is borne by the subcommittees, of which there are around 150.

Powers of Congress

The Constitution grants numerous powers to Congress. Enumerated in Article I, Section 8, these include the powers to levy and collect taxes; to coin money and regulate its value; provide for punishment for counterfeiting; establish post offices and roads, issue patents, create federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court, combat piracies and felonies, declare war, raise and support armies, provide and maintain a navy, make rules for the regulation of land and naval forces, provide for, arm and discipline the militia, exercise exclusive legislation in the District of Columbia, regulate interstate commerce, and to make laws necessary to properly execute powers. Over the two centuries since the United States was formed, many disputes have arisen over the limits on the powers of the federal government. These disputes have often been the subject of lawsuits that have ultimately been decided by the United States Supreme Court.

Congressional oversight

Congressional oversight is intended to prevent waste and fraud, protect civil liberties and individual rights, ensure executive compliance with the law, gather information for making laws and educating the public, and evaluate executive performance.
It applies to cabinet departments, executive agencies, regulatory commissions, and the presidency.
Congress's oversight function takes many forms:
  • Committee inquiries and hearings
  • Formal consultations with and reports from the president
  • Senate advice and consent for presidential nominations and for treaties
  • House impeachment proceedings and subsequent Senate trials
  • House and Senate proceedings under the 25th Amendment if the president becomes disabled or if the office of the vice president falls vacant
  • Informal meetings between legislators and executive officials
  • Congressional membership: each state is allocated a number of seats based on its representation in the House of Representatives. Each state is allocated two senators regardless of its population., the District of Columbia elects a non-voting representative to the House of Representatives along with American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands.