ANGLAIS
Séance 1 : The US Judicial System
The Constitution of the U.S was finalized in 1788.
It was made for all the people to have the rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
It’s the supreme law of the Land.
→ Each State has his sovereignty and, all the States have been unified as one Nation.
There are 3 equals branches for the federal government :
-EXECUTIVE / LEGISLATIVE / JUDICIAL
→ The members of Executive and the Legislative are elected by the Americans.
→ The members of Judicial are appointed (= nominated) by the President and confirmed by Senate.
The Legislative Branch = CONGRESS
House of Representatives
-435 total Representatives
-Each state has a ≠ number based on their total population
-Election of the members every 2 years
oThey must be 25 yo
oU.S citizen for at least 7 years
oLive in the State they represent
-Speaker of the House = leader
oHe is elected by the members
oHe is third in line in succession to the President
→ The primary job of the Legislative Branch is to write up and to vote on laws
Legislative process (How to make a Law) :
1. Someone have to write a bill (it can be anyone)
2. The Bill goes to a committee (= expert on the subject of the Bill)
→ The bill can be rejected, accepted or changed
3. If the bill is accepted, a member of the Congress have to present it to the Congress
4. Both the House and the Senate will have their own debates about the Bill
5. The Congress have to vote (The bill must get a majority of the votes to pass)
6. The President sign the bill into law or choose to veto the bill
→ If the President choose to veto the Bill, the congress can try to override the veto by getting
2/3 of the vote from both the House and the Senate
Responsibilities and powers of the Congress :
-to write up and to vote on laws
-creating an annual budget for the government
-taxing the citizens to pay for the budget of the government
-power to declare war
-ratify treaties with other countries
-confirm presidential appointments
-power to oversee the governments
-make sure that the government is spending the tax money on the right things
-make sure that the different branches of government are making their job
The Judicial Branch = JUDGES AND COURTS
The job of the Courts is to interpret the laws of the Congress, they do not make laws.
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