The President and Federal Departments

 

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. 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. This means that the President can be from one party, and the majority of those in the House of Representatives or Senate (or both) from another. This is not uncommon.

Thus, although one of the parties may win a majority in the midterm elections (those held every two years), the President remains President, even though his party may not have a majority in either house. Such a result could easily hurt his ability to get legislation through Congress, which must pass all laws, but this is not necessarily so. In any case, the President's policies must be approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate before they can become law. In domestic as well as in foreign policy, the President can seldom count upon the automatic support of Congress, even when his own party has a majority in both the Senate and the House. Therefore, he must be able to convince Congressmen, the Representatives and Senators, of his point of view. He must bargain and compromise. This is a major difference between the American system and those in which the nation's leader represents the majority party or parties, that is parliamentary systems.

Within the Executive Branch, there are a number of executive departments. Currently these are the departments of State, Treasury, Defence, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labour, Health and Human Resources, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, and Education. Each department is established by law, and, as their names indicate, 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. None of these Secretaries, as the department heads are usually called, can also be serving in Congress or in another part of the government. Each is directly responsible to the President and only serves as long as the President wants him or her to. They can best be seen, therefore, as Presidential assistants and advisers. When they meet together, they are termed "the President's Cabinet." Some Presidents have relied quite a bit on their Cabinets for advice, and some very little.

 

8. Explain the meanings of the following words and expressions from the text. Make sentences with each of them.

- midterm elections;

- term of office;

- Senator;

- Representative;

- Congressman;

- parliamentary system of government;

- executive department;

- Secretary of an executive department;

- the President's Cabinet.

 

9. Complete the following text by translating the words and expressions in brackets.

The President of the United States is chosen in a national election for a four-year (пребывание у власти), and may be (переизбран) for a second (срок). He must be a native-born citizen at least 35 years old. His salary is $200,000 a year, and he also gets an extra $50,000 for expenses; but he must pay (подоходный налог) on the whole amount. He receives up to $100,000 tax-free for travel and $20,000 for official entertainment, and is provided with a home and extensive office space at the White House.

As head of the Executive Branch, the President must (выполнять) the government programmes (принятые) 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 the Congress, his (вето) may be (отменено) by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress. The President (назначает) federal (судьи), (послы) and hundreds of government (чиновники), and assigns duties to the elected Vice President. If a President dies, (уходит в отставку) or becomes permanently disabled, the Vice President (принимает на себя его обязанности) until the next election.

 

10. Answer the questions.

1. How many terms may a Senator or a Representative serve?

2. Which house of Congress has the power to introduce laws?

3. Name at least three functions of Congress.

4. Does the President always belong to the party which has the majority in Congress?

5. What is the major difference of the American system of government from parliamentary ones?

6. Name at least three functions of the President.

7. Who succeeds the President if he dies or resigns?

8. Under what circumstances can the President be removed from office before his term expires?

9. Who does the President's Cabinet consist of?

11. Read the text.