1. A Bill is introduced by either
House of the Congress and is studied by a committee in this House.
2. If it is approved by the
committee, the committee makes recommendations that the Bill should be placed on
the calendar of the Congress.
3. The House reads the Bill,
debates it, votes on it. If it is approved by the majority in the House it is
sent to the other House of the Congress.
4. The Bill passes through the
same procedure in the other House. Differences are worked out.
5. The Bill is printed, signed by
the Vice President.
6. The Bill is signed by the
President. The President has right to veto a Bill, but if such a Bill receives
2/3 of the votes in both Houses of the Congress it still becomes law, even without
the President’s approval.
The System of
Checks and Balances
Branch
Powers
Checks
1. Executive Branch (President)
enforces laws;
appoints officials;
makes treaties;
appoints the Supreme Court Judges;
is the Commander- in-Chief of the Army and Navy.
The Congress:
shelves Bills proposed by the President;
overrules vetoes;
refuses to confirm appointments;
can refuse to ratify treaties;
starts the process of impeachment.
The Supreme Court:
can declare the executive acts unconstitutional
2. Legislative Branch (Congress)
makes laws;
taxation for the common defense and common welfare;
credits and borrows money;
regulates commerce and relations with foreign countries.
The President:
can veto laws;
can call for special session of the Congress;
The Supreme Court:
reviews and interprets laws and treaties and sees
whether they are constitutional or not
3. Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
interprets laws and treaties;
Chief Judge presides over the impeachment of the
President
The President:
appoints Judges (for life) but cannot remove them from
office;
grants pardons;
The Congress:
approves appointments of judges and, if necessary,
impeaches them;
