435 members (+3 for Washington,DC) r elected every 2 years. They must be at least 25 years old, citizens of the USA at least for 7 years. Representation is based on population. The country is devided into congressional districts with equal population in each. It means that a state with a bigger population has more representatives, but each state no matter how much its population is has ta least 1 representative. The presiding person in the House of Representatives is the Speaker.
In the USA there r 538 Congressmen. The work of both Houses is largerly done in Committees. There r 16 permenate commettees in the Senate & 20 in the House of Representatives. The main function of a committee is to enqure into each bill & to recommend wheather the bill should be accepted or not,or to recommend changes to the bill.
Legislation can originate in either the Senate or in the House of Representatives, but before any bill is sent to the President for signature it must be passed by both Houses.
13. President as the head of the Executive power, the US Administration.
The Executive branch is responsible for enforcing the laws of the country. The Ex. power is exercised by President, Vice-president, Department Heads (secretaries) & independent agencies.
The US President has much more powers than any other president. The official residence is the White House in Wash, DC. The Pres. is elected for a 4-year term & he cannot be elected more than twice. The Pres. must be a natural born US citizen, at least 35 years old(the last 14 years must live in the US). Functions: 1.Commander-in-chief of all the armed forces. 2.the chief diplomat (makes treaties, receives ambassadors,etc.) 3. appoints ambassadors, Supreme Court judges, Federal judges,etc. 4.recommends Bills to the Congress. 5.can give pardons (помилование) for the offences against the country. 6.gives an annual State of the Union Address(речь) to the Congress. 7.the right to veto the bill – the pr's veto can be overridden by 2/3 majority of the Congress.
The Administration r appointed by the Pres:
1) The Vice-pres. takes over and performs all these duties if the Pres is dies/unable to fulfill his duties. The requirements to be elected r the same. 2)the heads of 15 executive departments: 1.The D. of State1789(=the Ministry of Foreign Affairs):the head is the Secretary of State-Colin L. Powell; 2.of Treasury1789 (finance, tax, currency); 3.of Defence1947 (military forces); 4.of Justice1870 is directed by Attorney General; 5.of Interior1849 (natural & cultural heritage, parks, Indian tribes); 6.of Agriculture1862; 7.of Commerce1903; 8.of Labor1913; 9.of Health & Human Services1953; 10.of Housing & Urban development1965; 11.of Transportation1966; 12.of Energy1977; 13.of Education1979; 14.of Veteran Affairs1988; 15.of Homeland Security 2003-Tom Ridge.Against terrorism inside the country. 3)Independent agencies (& Commitions32) which help execute policy or provide special services: CIA-Central Intelligence Agency, FBI-Federal Bureau of Investigation, NASA-National Aeronautics & Space Administration, NCA-National Security Agency(to protect U.S. information systems and produce foreign intelligence information).
13. President as the head of the Executive power, the US Administration .
The executive branch is responsible for enforcing the laws of the
country. The ex. power is exercised by president, vice-president,
Departments' (гугягжгягзгшгмгыгзгшгйгх) Heads (secretaries V гугягжгягзгшгыгД) &
independent agencies.
The US president has much more powers than any other president. The
official residence is the White House in Wash, DC.
The pres. is elected for a 4-year term & he cannot be elected more than twice.
The pres. must be a natural born US citizen, at least 35 years old.
Functions:
E Commander-in-chief of all the armed forces.
E Makes treaties, receives ambassadors
E Appoints ambassadors, Supreme Court judges, Federal judges
E Recommends the legislation (bills) to the Congress.
E Can give pardons (гьгвгугягтгвгйгхгшгЕ) for the offences against the country.
E Gives an annual State of the Union Address to the Congress.
E The right to veto the bill V the pr's veto can be overridden by
two-thirds majority of the Congress.
The vice-pres. takes over and performs all these duties if the
president is unable to fulfill his duties. The requirements are the
same: he also must live in the US for the last 14 years before the
elections.
The Administration - heads of the departments - are appointed by the
pres. Traditionally, it includes vice-pres & the heads of 15 executive
departments:
The D. of State (гкгвгзглгмгьгхгыгшгхгугмгжгш) V the head is the Secretary of State
The D. of Treasury (finance, tax, currency)
The D. of Defence (military forces)
The D. of Justice is directed by Attorney General
The D. of Interior (natural & cultural heritage, parks, Indian tribes)
The D. of Agriculture
The D. of Commerce
The D. of Labor
The D. of Health & Human Services
The D. of Housing & Urban development
The D. of Transportation
The D. of Energy
The D. of Education
The D. of Veteran Affairs (1988)
In 2003 Homeland Security department appeared. It fights terrorism on
the territory of the US.
There are some independent agencies which help execute policy or
provide special services:
CIA V central intelligence office
FBI V federal bureau of investigation
NASA V national aeronautics and space administration.
14. Presidential elections in the US.
PE take place every 4 years in a leap year on Tuesday after the 1st
Monday in November. The campaign takes about a year. PE in the US are
indirect. There r 6 stages: 1.Winter. Declaration of candidacy =>within each party(many in each party). 2. Spring. Primary elections, traditionally held in 1/3 of the States, shows
which candidates within the party r more popular(2 in each party). 3. Summer. Each party holds its Nominating Convention (съезд) to nominate 1 candidate,who names his future Vice-president in the very last day. 4. November. General Elections. Each party makes its own list of Electoral College коллегия выборщиков(the future House of Representatives & the Senate). People formally vote for the Electoral College of 1 particular party. Under each EC 1candidate from #3 is meant. 5. December. The members of the Electoral College vote for President. 6. January, 20. Inauguration. The Inauguration ceremony takes place in Washington, DC. The President says the Oath of Office, and the Vice-pr. does the same. In the evening there r official inaugural balls. Btwn #5&6:the new President-in-coming,the old-out-going.
14. presidential elections in the US
PE take place every 4 years in a leap year on Tuesday after the 1st
Monday in November. The campaign takes about a year. PE in the US are
indirect.
There are 6 stages.
1. Winter. Declaration of candidacy =>within each party.
2. Spring. Primary elections which are traditionally held. It shows
who of the candidates within the party is more popular.
3. Summer. Each party holds its Nominating Convention (гзгЦгмгпгл) to
nominate 1 candidate. For the first time they name the Vice-president.
4. November. General Elections. Electoral College (гсгвгтгтгмгкгягХ
гйгДгигвгыгБгягсгвгй) = the number of members in the House of Representatives +
in the Senate. Each party makes its own list of representatives. In
General Elections people formally vote for the Electoral College (гпгх
гьгхгыгшгягГ).
5. December. The members of the Electoral College vote for president.
6. January, 20. Inauguration.
The Inauguration ceremony takes place in Washington, DC. The
president says the Oath of Office, and the vice-pr. does the same. In
the evening there are official inaugural balls.
