STRUCTURE OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

The United States Government is divided into three departments:

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

                                           The President and Vice President are elected as a team
                                            for a four-year term.  They may be reelected once.

                                           A Cabinet consists of secretaries who are advisors to
                                           President.  These secretaries are appointed by the
                                           President, confirmed by the Senate and serve at the
                                           pleasure of the President.

A number of administrative agencies are also under the control of the President, a Cabinet officer or the Congress.  Some examples of these agencies are:  NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), GSA (General Services Administration).


LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Congress is made up of two houses.

Senate
The Senate has 100 members, two from each state, elected to six-year terms, with one-third of the members being elected every two years.  The special powers of the Senate are to confirm presidential treaties and nominations and act as a jury in impeachment proceedings.

House of Representatives
The House of  Representatives has 435 members.  The districts are apportioned according to the population in each state.  Florida presently has 23 members.  The special powers of the House are to originate all bills providing for raising of money, bring impeachment charges against Federal officers and choose the President if the Electoral College is unable to decide.

The President can propose legislation but the Congress must pass the laws.  Both houses must agree on a bill.  The President can veto a bill which can then become law only by a two-thirds vote in each house.

                                                National Supreme Court
                                                One chief justice and eight associate justices 
                                                are appointed by the President with the consent of
                                                the Senate and hold office “during good behavior.”

                                                U.S. District Courts
                                                There are more than 100 district courts with each
                                                judicial  district comprising an entire state, or part of
a state. The judges are appointed for life by the President with the consent of the Senate and hold office “during good behavior”.