Political System of the United States of America

The United States of America is a federal republic of fifty states bound together by the Pact of 1787. The form of the government of the USA is based on the Constitution of September 17, 1787, to which twenty-seven amendments were added (of these the first ten amendments are called collectively “The Bill of Rights”).

By the Constitution, the government of the nation is composed of three coordinating branches: the legislative (the US Congress), the executive (the US President) and the judicial (the Supreme Court). The National Government has authority in matters of general taxation, treaties and other dealings with foreign powers, foreign and interstate commerce, postal service, coinage, weight and measures, the armed forces and crimes against the USA.

The Congress was created by Article I of the Constitution which vests all legislative powers granted by the people to the Government in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Currently the House is limited to 435 Representatives elected by the voters of the fifty States. In addition, one Delegate each represents the voters of the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands. States are assigned the number of Representatives based on the decennial census. Each member represents approximately 600,000 constituents. Each State is entitled to at least one Representative, even though the population of the State may be less than 600,000. Any citizen over the age of 25, who has been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, may be elected to serve in the House of Representatives, providing that he or she is a resident of the State at the time of the election. Senators must be 30 years of age.

Unlike the Senate, whose Members represent the States, the Representatives’ powers do not overlap those of the Executive and Judicial branches of the Federal Government. They do not confirm Presidential appointments. The House does not vote on ratification of treaties. The House can vote on articles of impeachment, i.e. an indictment of the President or another Federal officer but the Senate judges whether or not the officer should be removed from office. The major strength of the House lies in its power to initiate “money” bills – taxation and appropriation measures. The Senate may vote changes in such bills, but the differences are resolved in conference between the House and the Senate.

As in the Senate, the major activity of the House, especially in the early months of each session, is in the committees, which receive all bills introduced on the subject of the committee’s jurisdiction. The committees are divided into subcommittees which conduct hearings, add amendments and either approve or reject the bills. If approved, the bill is considered by the full committee which can reject, amend and approve, or decline to act on the measure. If approved, the bill goes to the Rules Committee for scheduling for floor action.

1 Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following words and expressions.

General taxation, voter, constituent, to be entitled to, providing, resident, overlap, to confirm an appointment, taxation, appropriation, to resolve differences, the Rules Committee.

2 Translate words and word combinations from Ukrainian into English and use them in your own sentences.

На даний час, розглядати законопроект, перепис населення, проведена один раз на десять років, процедура притягнення до відповідальності вищих посадових осіб, відсторонення від роботи, поправка (до законопроекту, Конституції), проводити слухання (засідання).

3 Comprehension questions.

1. When was the USA created?

2. What are the rights of Delegates?

3. How is the number of Representatives from each state determined?

4. What are the qualifications for candidates to the House and to the Senate?

5. Whose functions (those of the Senate or the House) overlap the powers of the Executive and Judicial branches?