A20
Government
Government in the US
There are three levels of government in the US - FEDERAL, state, and local. All of these are elected by the people of the country.
Federal government
The federal government is the national government of the US. The CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES limits the power of the federal government to defence, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, printing money, controlling trade and relations between the states, and protecting HUMAN RIGHTS. The federal government is made up of CONGRESS, the PRESIDENT, and the SUPREME COURT.
Congress
Congress is the institution that makes laws, and is made up of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and the SENATE. The house of representatives has 435 members called Representatives or Congressmen and Congresswomen, who are elected by the people of a state to represent that state. The number of Representatives for each state depends on the size of the population of the state, and each state has at least one Representative. The Senate has 100 members called Senators, who are elected by their state. Each state has two Senators. Congress decides whether a BILL (=a suggested new law) becomes law. If both the Senate and House of Representatives agree to a law, the President is asked to agree. The President can VETO a bill (=refuse to allow it), but Congress can still make it a law if two-thirds of the members of each house agree to it.
State government
State government has the greatest influence over people's daily lives. Each state has its own written CONSTITUTION (=set of fixed laws) and has different laws. There are sometimes great differences in law between the different states, concerning things such as property, crime, health, and education. The highest elected official of each state is the Governor. Each state also has one or two elected institutions that make laws, known as state legislatures, whose members represent the different parts of the state.
Local government
The organizations that are responsible for local government in the US are called town or city or county councils. They make laws that affect a town, city, or COUNTY. These laws concern things such as traffic, when and where alcohol can be sold, and keeping animals. The highest elected official of a town or city is usually the MAYOR.
The Law and the Constitution
Every law at every level of government must be in agreement with the United States Constitution. Any citizen who thinks that he or she has not been given their rights under the law may take their case to a court of law, and through all the courts in the system up to the Supreme Court if necessary. Any law which is found by the court to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL (=not in agreement with the constitution) cannot remain law. For more information see Law on page A23.
Government in the UK
National government
The centre of government in the UK is Parliament, which makes all the important laws for the country. Parliament is made up of the HOUSE OF COMMONS, the HOUSE OF LORDS (known together as the HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT) and the Queen or King. The Houses of Parliament are in a part of London called WESTMINSTER, and the word Westminster is often used to mean Parliament.
The House of Commons, also known as the Commons, is more powerful than the House of Lords. It has 650 members who have been elected by the people of the UK, called MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT or MPs, each representing a CONSTITUENCY (=an area of land and the people who live in it).
The House of Lords, also known as the Lords, is made up of HEREDITARY PEERS and LIFE PEERS. They are not elected. Until 2002, all hereditary peers were allowed to vote in the Lords, but now only 92 may do so. These 92 are chosen by a vote among all hereditary peers. All life peers can vote in the Lords. Hereditary peers are members of the aristocracy, and have titles such as Duke or Viscount which they take on the death of their father. Life peers are given their title as a reward for their good work, and they cannot pass the title on to their children. Although their titles are officially given to them by the Queen, most of them are suggested by a committee and have the approval of the Prime Minister.
The government brings BILLS (=suggested new laws) to the House of Commons, where they are discussed