Executive Branch Review Sheet

What is the order of succession?

Vice President: Joseph Biden Speaker of the House: John Boehner President Pro Tempore of the Senate: Patrick Leahy Secretary of State: John Kerry Secretary of the Treasury: Jacob Lew Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel Attorney General: Eric H. Holder, Jr.

What are all the powers of the President?

• Enforces Constitution • Runs national government • Signs bills into laws • Appoints ambassadors with Senate approval • Makes treaties with Senate approval • Can authorize the use of troops over seas without declaring war • Appoints head of Executive Department

What are the requirements to become the President of the United States?

• Must be at least 35 years old • Natural born citizen of the United States • Has lived in the US for at least 14 consecutive years

What powers does the Congress have over the President?

• Power to Impeach the President • Approve Presidential Appointments • Declare war

What are the duties of the Vice President?

• The Vice President executes duties given by the President. • Serves as the President of the Senate, but has no vote in it, unless there is a tie • Second in Presidential Succession: If the President becomes unable to serve, then the Vice President takes his place.

What acts would remove the President from office?

• Treason • Bribery • High Crimes (murder, etc.) • Misdemeanors (speeding, trespassing, vandalism)

How many electors does DC have?

3 electors

How long is the term of office of the President?

4 years

How many electors are in the Electoral College?

538

Who presides over the trial?

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

5 Important Departments

Dept. of Homeland Security: works to protect the country against terrorism and make sure the borders are safe. Dept. of State: protects citizens abroad and works with other countries to keep peace. Conducts foreign relations, protects US citizens abroad, issues passports and visas Dept. of Defense: includes all parts of the U.S. military, like the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force, and its mission is to protect the United States across the world. Maintains US armed services, conducts military studies, operates military bases Department of Treasury: makes the money, tries to help the economy, and collects taxes. Prints coins and issues money, collects taxes and pays bills, manages government funds Department of Justice: investigates violations of federal laws, prosecutes cases before courts, administers naturalization laws, and enforces immigration laws

Who officially votes for the President?

Electoral College

What is the President's main job?

Enforcing the laws

If a president is not chosen by Inauguration Day, who has the decision of the President?

House of Representatives

Who begins the impeachment process?

House of Representatives

When is Inauguration Day? (President officially takes office)

January 20

When do the electors vote for President?

On the Monday following the second Wednesday in December the electors vote for the president.

When do the people vote for President?

On the Tuesday following the first Monday in November the people vote for the president.

Who appoints Supreme Court Justices?

President, with Senate approval

Which President was going to be impeached, but received a Presidential Pardon?

Richard Nixon

Who approves all Presidential Appointments?

Senate

Who holds the trial? Who is the jury?

Senate

What 3 options does the President have when presented with a bill?

Sign it Veto it Do nothing

What is the President's Cabinet made up of? What is its purpose?

The President's cabinet is made up of members that the President has chosen with the Senate's approval. The President's Cabinet is made up of the Vice President and the 15 heads of the Executive Departments. They run the executive departments of the government (Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, etc.) and act as advisers to the President.

What is the State of the Union Address? What is its purpose?

The State of the Union is a yearly address given by the President to the Congress. It gives the Congress an brief idea of the state of the nation as it is and its future plans for legislation.

Do the people of the United States elect the President directly? Why or why not? Explain.

The people of the US do not elect the President directly. They cast their votes, and the electors of each state, of the Electoral College, vote depending on what their state's citizens wanted. However, it is not required that the electors vote for in accordance with their state's votes. For example, if the state voted for Candidate A, the elector is not obligated to vote for Candidate A, and can vote for Candidate B.