Branches of the U.S. government

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Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances." />  <link rel="icon" href="/themes/custom/usagov/images/Favicon_USAGov.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="/themes/custom/usagov/images/Favicon_USAGov.png">  <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Branches of the U.S. government | USAGov" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Learn about the 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Logo_USAGov.png" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Logo_USAGov.png" /> <meta name="referrer" content="no-referrer-when-downgrade" />  <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "url": "https://usa.gov/", "logo": "https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Logo_USAGov.png" } </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Legislative branch", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<p>This branch is made up of <a href=\"https://www.congress.gov/members\">Congress</a> (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.</p><p>The legislative branch鈥檚 roles include:</p><ul> <li>Drafting proposed laws</li> <li>Confirming or rejecting presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court</li> <li>Having the authority to declare war</li> </ul>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Executive branch", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<p>The executive branch鈥檚 key roles include:</p><ul> <li>President - The president is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces.聽</li> <li>Vice president - The vice president supports the president. If the president is unable to serve, the vice president becomes president. The vice president also presides over the U.S. Senate and breaks ties in Senate votes.</li> <li>The Cabinet - Cabinet members serve as advisors to the president. They include the vice president, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate.</li> </ul><p>The executive branch also includes executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees.</p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Judicial branch", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<p>The judicial branch includes the <a href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/justices.aspx\">Supreme Court</a> and other federal courts.</p><p>It evaluates laws by:</p><ul> <li>Interpreting the meaning of laws</li> <li>Applying laws to individual cases</li> <li>Deciding if laws violate the Constitution</li> </ul>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How each branch of government provides checks and balances", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<p>The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is <a href=\"https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-check-balance\">the system of checks and balances</a>.</p><p>Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:</p><ul><li>The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.</li><li>Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.</li><li>The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.</li></ul>" } } ] } </script> </head> <body>  <noscript><iframe title="GTM" sandbox src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-W8LW6DB" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <a href="#skip-to-h1" class="usa-skipnav usa-sr-only focusable"> Skip to main content </a> <div class="usa-overlay"></div> <header class="usa-header usa-header--extended" id="header"> <div class="usa-banner-inner"> <div> <section class="usa-banner" aria-label="An official website of the United States government" id="usagov-banner"> <div class="usa-accordion"> <div class="usa-banner__header" role="banner"> <div class="usa-banner__inner"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/favicon-57.png" alt="U.S Flag" /> </div> <div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto"> <p class="usa-banner__header-text"> An official website of the United States government </p> <p class="usa-banner__header-action usa-banner__header-action-mobile">Here's how you know</p> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" class="usa-banner_expand_arrow usa-banner__header-action"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M16.59 8.59L12 13.17 7.41 8.59 6 10l6 6 6-6z"/> </svg> </div> <button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default"> <span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" class="usa-banner_expand_arrow usa-banner__button-text"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M16.59 8.59L12 13.17 7.41 8.59 6 10l6 6 6-6z"/> </svg> </button> </div> </div> <div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg"> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/usagov/assets/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br /> A <strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/usagov/assets/img/icon-https.svg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br /> A <strong>lock</strong> ( <span class="icon-lock"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false"> <title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title> <desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc> <path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z" /> </svg> </span> ) or <strong>https://</strong> means you鈥檝e safely connected to the .gov website. 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body-copy"><p>The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.</p><div data-embed-button="paragraphs" data-paragraph-id="2cda2adb-afc7-4df9-8a53-a06b7b96780e" data-entity-label="USWDS Components" data-langcode="en" data-view-mode="embed" data-entity-embed-display="entity_reference_revisions:entity_reference_revisions_entity_view" data-entity-type="embedded_paragraphs" data-entity-uuid="2cda2adb-afc7-4df9-8a53-a06b7b96780e" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity"> <div class="field field--name-paragraph field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="usa-accordion paragraph paragraph--type--uswds-accordion paragraph--view-mode--embed paragraph--id--278">  <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="278-0"> Legislative branch </button> </h2> <div id="278-0" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--270"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This branch is made up of <a href="https://www.congress.gov/members">Congress</a> (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.</p> <p>The legislative branch鈥檚 roles include:</p> <ul> <li>Drafting proposed laws</li> <li>Confirming or rejecting presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court</li> <li>Having the authority to declare war</li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="278-1"> Executive branch </button> </h2> <div id="278-1" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--272"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The executive branch鈥檚 key roles include:</p> <ul> <li>President - The president is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces. </li> <li>Vice president - The vice president supports the president. If the president is unable to serve, the vice president becomes president. The vice president also presides over the U.S. Senate and breaks ties in Senate votes.</li> <li>The Cabinet - Cabinet members serve as advisors to the president. They include the vice president, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate.</li> </ul> <p>The executive branch also includes executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="278-2"> Judicial branch </button> </h2> <div id="278-2" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--274"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The judicial branch includes the <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/justices.aspx">Supreme Court</a> and other federal courts.</p> <p>It evaluates laws by:</p> <ul> <li>Interpreting the meaning of laws</li> <li>Applying laws to individual cases</li> <li>Deciding if laws violate the Constitution</li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2>How each branch of government provides checks and balances</h2><p>The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is <a href="https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-check-balance">the system of checks and balances</a>.</p><p>Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:</p><ul><li>The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.</li><li>Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.</li><li>The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.</li></ul></div> </div> </div> <div class="views-element-container settings-tray-editable block block-views block-views-blockwizard-step-test-block-1" id="block-views-block-wizard-step-test-block-1" data-drupal-settingstray="editable"> <div><div class="js-view-dom-id-db24dc721d062e67f4c1852d534ecad26e25b6490af12a3a740074fd752f3c94"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="additional_body_info"> <p id="last-updated">LAST UPDATED: September 20, 2024 </p> <div id="sm-share"> <span id="share-page">SHARE THIS PAGE:</span> <div class="share-icons"> <a aria-labelledby="share-page fb" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government&v=3"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="fb" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/social-media-icons/Facebook_Icon.svg" alt="Facebook"/> </div> </a> <a aria-labelledby="share-page twr" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=webclient&text=https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="twr" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/social-media-icons/X_Twitter_Icon.svg " alt="X Twitter USAGov"/> </div> </a> <a aria-labelledby="share-page em" href="mailto:?subject=https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="em" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/social-media-icons/Email_Icon.svg" alt="Email"/> </div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="border-top-05 border-base-lightest"></div> <div id="question-box"> <div class="border-left-1 padding-left-205 border-cyan-10 margin-top-8 margin-bottom-9 padding-bottom-2"> <h2 class="font-family-heading margin-top-0"> Have a question? </h2> <p>Ask a real person any government-related question for free. 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