Citizenship Lesson 3

CITIZENSHIP HANDBOOK

Lesson 3Government in Action

A Flexible Document

The framers gave CONGRESS the power to make “all laws which shall be NECESSARY and PROPER” for carrying out the tasks of government. This provision is known as the ELASTIC CLAUSE.

The power of the SUPREME COURT to review government acts and possibly declare them UNCONSTITUTIONAL is known as JUDICIAL REVIEW. The Constitution never specifically gave the court this power. However, the court assumed that this is what the framers meant.

The Role of the President

Under the Constitution, the PRESIDENT has several main duties. He is the EXECUTIVE of the United States, whose job is to manage the government by CARRYING OUT ITS LAWS.

As chief of state, the PRESIDENT directs national DIPLOMACY, or relations with foreign countries.

The President also serves as COMMANDER IN CHIEF, the highest-ranking officer in the armed services.

The President also plays an important LEGISLATIVE role. He suggests laws to Congress and works for their passage. He also can use his VETO power to prevent the passage of laws.

President Barack Obama

The White House

The Role of Congress

Congress is made up of two houses: the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES has 435 members, and the number of representatives from each state depends on the size of the state’s POPULATION. The Senate has 100 members---2 from each state.

Congress’s main duty is to make LAWS. This process begins with the introduction of a bill, or a proposal for a law. In order for a bill to become law, both the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and the SENATE must approve it.

The CONSTITUTION gives the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the power to impeach, or bring formal charges against, members of the other two branches of government. The SENATE has the power to hold a trial to determine a member’s guilt or innocence. Officials found GUILTY may be removed from office.

PA Congressional Districts

Representative Matt Cartwright

Senator Bob Casey

Senator Pat Toomey

U.S. Capitol Building

The Role of the Courts

The function of the nation’s courts is to INTERPRET THE LAWS OF THE LAND and to PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS THE CONSTITUTION guarantees.

The nation’s court system has three main levels: at the lowest level are more than 90 DISTRICT COURTS; at the next level are 13 COURTS OF APPEAL and a smaller number of specialized courts; at the highest level is the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.

There is also a system of FEDERAL COURTS, which consider only cases involving NATIONAL LAWS. In addition, each state has its own separate COURT SYSTEM for hearing cases related to STATE and LOCAL laws.

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court Justices