Editing Federal government of the United States

{{Short description|National government of the United States}}
{{redirect|American Government|the textbook|American Government (textbook)}}
{{redirect|Government of the United States|governments of individual U.S. states|State governments of the United States}}
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{{Use American English|date=April 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox presidential government
| government_name  = United States federal government
| image            = Greater coat of arms of the United States.svg
| image_size       = 160px
| caption          = [[Great Seal of the United States|Coat of arms]]
| date             = {{start date and age|1789}}
| jurisdiction     = United States
| url              = {{URL|https://www.usa.gov/|usa.gov}}
| legislature      = [[United States Congress|Congress]]
| meeting_place    = [[United States Capitol|Capitol]]
| leader_title     = [[President of the United States|President]]
| headquarters     = [[White House]]
| appointed        = [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]]
| main_organ       = [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]]
| departments      = [[United States federal executive departments|15]]
| court            = [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]
| seat             = [[United States Supreme Court Building|Supreme Court Building]]
|document          = [[United States Constitution]]
}}
{{Politics of the United States}}

The '''federal government of the United States''' ('''U.S. federal government''' or '''U.S. government'''){{efn|The [[U.S. Government Publishing Office]] specifies the capitalization of ''Federal Government'', in regards to the national government of the United States, as a [[proper noun]].<ref name="US GPO style manual">{{cite book |title=U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual |date=2016 |publisher=[[U.S. Government Publishing Office]] |isbn=978-0-16-093601-2 |page=32 |edition=2016 |chapter-url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016.pdf |access-date=July 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729022842/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016.pdf |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |url-status=live |language=en |chapter=3}}</ref>}} is the [[Federation#Federal governments|national government]] of the [[United States]].<ref name="Zimmermann_Page_4">{{cite book |last1=Zimmermann |first1=Joseph F. |title=Contemporary American Federalism: The Growth of National Power |date=2008 |publisher=State University of New York Press |location=Albany |isbn=9780791475966 |pages=4-12 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qDP0eQfUNHAC&pg=PA4 |access-date=17 May 2025}}</ref>

{{Anchor|branches}}The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: [[United States Congress|legislative]], [[President of the United States|executive]], and [[Federal judiciary of the United States|judicial]]. Powers of these three branches are defined and vested by the [[Constitution of the United States|U.S. Constitution]], which has been in continuous effect since May 4, 1789.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Government structure |url=https://usafacts.org/reports/2021/government-10-k/part-i/item-1-purpose-and-function-of-our-government-general/government-structure/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=USAFacts}}</ref> The powers and duties of these branches are further defined by [[Act of Congress|Acts of Congress]], including the creation of [[United States federal executive departments|executive departments]] and courts subordinate to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]].

In the [[Federalism in the United States|federal]] division of power, the federal government shares sovereignty with each of the 50 states in their respective territories. U.S. law recognizes Indigenous tribes as [[Tribal sovereignty in the United States|possessing sovereign powers]], while being subject to federal jurisdiction.

== Naming ==
[[File:Political System of the United States.svg|thumb|A diagram of the political system of the United States]]
The full name of the republic is the "United States of America". No other name appears in the [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution]], and this is the name that appears on money, in treaties, and in legal cases to which the nation is a party. The terms "Government of the United States of America" or "United States Government" are often used in official documents to represent the federal government as distinct from the states collectively. 

In casual conversation or writing, the term "Federal Government" is often used, and the term "U.S. Government" is sometimes used. The terms "Federal" and "National" in government agency or program names generally indicate affiliation with the federal government; for instance, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]], and [[National Park Service]]. Because the [[seat of government]] is in [[Washington, D.C.]], "Washington" is sometimes used as a [[Metonymy|metonym]] for the federal government.

== History ==
{{Main|History of the United States government}}
[[File:Official Presidential portrait of Thomas Jefferson (by Rembrandt Peale, 1800)(cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Thomas Jefferson]], the principal author of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]], largely wrote the Declaration's first draft in isolation between over a period of two weeks in June 1776 from the second floor of a three-story home he was renting at 700 [[Market Street (Philadelphia)|Market Street]] in [[Philadelphia]]; the document was then reviewed and ultimately unanimously adopted by each of the 56 delegates to the [[Second Continental Congress]].]]
The U.S. government was established in a series of initiatives in the late 18th century, starting with its decision to establish the [[Continental Army]] and appoint [[George Washington]] as its commander. The Continental Army resisted the [[British Army during the American Revolutionary War|British]] during the [[American Revolutionary War]], which began in 1775. The following year, in July 1776, delegates to the [[Second Continental Congress]], gathered at present-day [[Independence Hall]] in the colonial capital of [[Philadelphia]], unanimously adopted the [[United States Declaration of Independence]] with each of the 56 colonial-era delegates signing it. In September 1783, the Thirteen Colonies ultimately prevailed over the British in the Revolutionary War, establishing the United States as an independent nation. On March 4, 1789, again gathered in Philadelphia, the colonies ratified and adopted the [[Constitution of the United States]], which established the nation's federal rule of law and was largely based on [[Federalism in the United States|federalism]], [[Republicanism in the United States|republicanism]] and [[democracy]]. 

Under the U.S. Constitution, the power of the U.S. federal government is shared between its executive, legislative, and judicial branches, [[State governments of the United States|state governments]], and the people. It is a mixed system, neither pure republic nor pure democracy, and often described as a [[democratic republic]], [[representative democracy]], or constitutional [[Republic#Constitution|republic]].

The interpretation and execution of these principles, including what powers the federal government should have and how those powers can be exercised, have been debated ever since the adoption of the Constitution. Some make a case for expansive federal powers while others argue for a more limited role for the central government in relation to individuals, the states, or other recognized entities.

Since the [[American Civil War]], the powers of the federal government have expanded greatly, although there have been periods since that time when the legislative branch was more powerful, including the decades immediately following the Civil War, or when [[states' rights]] proponents have succeeded in limiting federal power through legislative action, executive prerogative or by a constitutional interpretation by the courts.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 3038511|title = The Influence of State Politics in Expanding Federal Power|journal = Proceedings of the American Political Science Association|volume = 5|pages = 53–63|last1 = Ford|first1 = Henry Jones|author-link=Henry Jones Ford|year = 1908|doi = 10.2307/3038511}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718143842/http://www.ngaus.org/ngaus/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000000166/judgerulinginpa.pdf|title=Judge: Governor must OK Guard unit closure}}</ref>

One of the theoretical pillars of the U.S. Constitution is the idea of "[[Separation of powers#Checks and balances|checks and balances]]" among the powers and responsibilities of the three branches of American government: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. For example, while [[U.S. Congress|Congress]], the federal government's legislative branch, has the power to create laws, the executive branch under the [[U.S. President|president]] can [[Veto power in the United States|veto]] legislation, an act which, in turn, can be overridden by Congress.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/our-government/legislative-branch |title=The Legislative Branch |access-date=January 20, 2013 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]]  |archive-date=January 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129230714/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/about-the-white-house/the-legislative-branch/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The president nominates judges to the nation's highest judiciary authority, the [[U.S. Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] (as well as to lower federal courts), but those nominees must be approved by Congress. The Supreme Court, in turn, [[Judicial review in the United States|can invalidate]] unconstitutional laws passed by the Congress.

==Legislative branch== <!--linked from [[Template:United States topics]]-->
{{Main|United States Congress}}
[[File:Seal of the United States Congress.svg|thumb|upright=1|Seal of the [[United States Congress]]]]
The [[United States Congress]], under Article I of the Constitution, is the legislative branch of the federal government. It is [[Bicameralism|bicameral]], comprising the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the [[United States Senate|Senate]].

=== Makeup of Congress ===
==== House of Representatives ====
[[File:USHouseStructure2012-2022 SeatsByState.png|thumb|upright=1|The 435 seats of the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] grouped by state]]
The [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] is made up of 435 voting members, each of whom represents a [[congressional district]] in a state from where they were elected. Apportionment of seats among the 50 states is determined by state populations, and it is updated after each [[decennial]] U.S. Census. Each member serves a two-year term. 

In order to be elected as a representative, an individual must be at least 25 years of age, must have been a [[U.S. citizen]] for at least seven years, and must live in the state that they represent. 

In addition to the 435 voting members, there are six non-voting members, consisting of five delegates and one [[resident commissioner]]. There is one delegate each from [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Guam]], the [[Virgin Islands]], [[American Samoa]], the [[Northern Mariana Islands|Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands]], and a [[Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico|resident commissioner]] from [[Puerto Rico]].<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |website=U.S. House |url=http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml |title=Member Web Site Listing (by State) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828203008/http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml |archive-date=August 28, 2008 |access-date=August 17, 2008}}</ref>

Unlike the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]], all members of the U.S. House must be elected and cannot be appointed. In the case of a vacancy, the seat must be filled through a special election, as required under Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Article I. Constitution of the United States of America |url=https://ilga.gov/commission/lrb/Article1.htm |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=Illinois General Assembly }}</ref>

==== Senate ====
In contrast, the Senate is made up of two senators from each state, regardless of population. There are currently 100 senators (2 from each of the 50 states), who each serve six-year terms. Approximately one-third of the Senate stands for election every two years.

If a vacancy occurs, the state governor appoints a replacement to complete the term or to hold the office until a special election can take place.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Appointed Senators (1913-Present) |url=https://www.senate.gov/senators/AppointedSenators.htm |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=United States Senate}}</ref>

==== Separate powers ====
The House and Senate each have particular exclusive powers. For example, the Senate must approve (give "[[advice and consent]]" to) many important presidential appointments, including cabinet officers, [[United States federal judge|federal judges]] (including nominees to the Supreme Court), department secretaries (heads of federal executive branch departments), U.S. military and naval officers, and [[Ambassador|ambassadors]] to foreign countries. All legislative bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. The approval of both chambers is required to pass all legislation, which then may only become law by being signed by the president (or, if the president [[veto power in the United States|vetoes]] the bill, both houses of Congress then re-pass the bill, but by a [[Super majority|two-thirds majority]] of each chamber, in which case the bill becomes law without the president's signature). The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the people. 

The Constitution also includes the [[Necessary and Proper Clause]], which grants Congress the power to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers". Members of the House and Senate are elected by [[Plurality voting system|first-past-the-post]] voting in every state except [[Louisiana]] and [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], which have [[Two-round system|runoffs]], and [[Maine]] and [[Alaska]], which use [[Instant-runoff voting|ranked-choice voting]].

==== Impeachment of federal officers ====
{{Main|Federal impeachment in the United States}}
[[United States Congress|Congress]] has the power to remove the president, federal judges, and other federal officers from office. The House of Representatives and Senate have separate roles in this process. The House must first vote to impeach the official. Then, a trial is held in the Senate to decide whether the official should be removed from office. {{As of|2023}}, three presidents have been impeached: [[Impeachment of Andrew Johnson|Andrew Johnson]], [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]], and [[Impeachment of Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (twice). None of the three were removed from office following trial in the Senate.<ref>{{Cite news | url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39945744 | title = Trump impeachment: A very simple guide | date = December 19, 2019 | access-date = February 11, 2022 | newspaper = [[BBC News]] | url-status = live | archive-date = December 19, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191219124926/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39945744}}</ref>

==== Congressional procedures ====
Article I, Section 2, paragraph 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives each chamber the power to "determine the rules of its proceedings". From this provision were created [[United States Congressional committee|congressional committees]], which do the work of drafting legislation and conducting congressional investigations into national matters. The [[118th United States Congress|118th Congress]] (2023–2025) has 20 standing committees in the House<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.house.gov/committees |title=Committees |website=house.gov |access-date=23 November 2023}}</ref> and 19 in the Senate,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/committees/index.htm |title=Committees |website=U.S. Senate |access-date=23 November 2023}}</ref> plus 4 joint permanent committees with members from both houses overseeing the [[Library of Congress]], printing, taxation, and the economy. In addition, each house may name special, or select, committees to study specific problems. Today, much of the congressional workload is borne by the subcommittees, of which there are around 150.

=== Powers of Congress ===
{{Main|Article One of the United States Constitution}}
[[File:United States Capitol - west front.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The [[United States Capitol]], the [[seat of government]] for [[United States Congress|Congress]], the legislative branch of the U.S. government]]
The Constitution grants numerous powers to Congress. Enumerated in Article I, Section 8, these include the powers to levy and collect [[tax]]es; to coin money and regulate its value; provide for punishment for counterfeiting; establish post offices and roads, issue patents, create federal courts inferior to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]], combat [[Piracy|piracies]] and [[Felony|felonies]], declare [[war]], raise and support [[Military of the United States|armies]], provide and maintain a [[United States Navy|navy]], make rules for the regulation of land and naval forces, provide for, arm and discipline the [[Militia (United States)|militia]], exercise exclusive legislation in the [[District of Columbia]], regulate [[interstate commerce]], and to make laws necessary to properly execute powers. Over the two centuries since the United States was formed, many disputes have arisen over the limits on the powers of the federal government. These disputes have often been the subject of lawsuits that have ultimately been decided by the [[United States Supreme Court]].

==== Congressional oversight ====
{{Main|Congressional oversight}}
Congressional oversight is intended to prevent waste and fraud, protect [[civil liberties]] and individual rights, ensure executive compliance with the law, gather information for making laws and educating the public, and evaluate executive performance.<ref name="Congressional oversight">{{cite web| last = Kaiser| first = Frederick M.| title = Congressional Oversight| publisher = Congressional Research Service| date = January 3, 2006| url = https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/97-936.pdf| access-date = July 30, 2008| archive-date = July 25, 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080725063749/http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/97-936.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref>

It applies to cabinet departments, executive agencies, regulatory commissions, and the presidency.

Congress's oversight function takes many forms:
* Committee inquiries and [[United States congressional hearing|hearings]]
* Formal consultations with and reports from the [[President of the United States|president]]
* Senate advice and consent for presidential nominations and for treaties
* House [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] proceedings and subsequent Senate trials
* House and Senate proceedings under the [[Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|25th Amendment]] if the president becomes disabled or if the office of the [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] falls vacant
* Informal meetings between legislators and executive officials
* Congressional membership: each state is allocated a number of seats based on its representation (or ostensible representation, in the case of D.C.) in the House of Representatives. Each state is allocated two senators regardless of its population. {{as of|2023|November|}}, the District of Columbia elects a non-voting representative to the House of Representatives along with American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.house.gov/representatives |title=Directory of Representatives |website=house.gov |access-date=23 November 2023}}</ref>

==Executive branch== <!--linked from [[George Washington]] and [[Template:United States topics]]. Wikidata item: Q108602895-->
{{See also|Article Two of the United States Constitution|List of United States federal executive orders}}
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=== President ===
{{Main|President of the United States|Powers of the president of the United States}}
[[File:Seal Of The President Of The United States Of America.svg|thumb|upright=1|The [[seal of the president of the United States]]]]
[[File:The White House at night, 2011.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The [[White House]] includes the office of the [[President of the United States|U.S. president]], known as the [[Oval Office]], and the offices of key [[Executive Office of the President of the United States|presidential advisors and staff]].]]  
====Executive powers and duties====
The executive branch is established in [[Article Two of the United States Constitution]], which [[Vesting Clauses|vests executive power]] in the [[president of the United States]].<ref name="ArtII wikisource">{{cite web |at=Article II |title=Constitution of the United States of America |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_States_of_America |via=Wikisource |date=1787 }}</ref><ref name=NatureScope>{{cite web|title=Nature and Scope of Presidential Power|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-2/section-1/clause-1|work=U.S. Constitution Annotated|publisher=Congressional Research Service|via=Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=January 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123061438/https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-2/section-1/clause-1|url-status=live}}</ref> The president is both the [[head of state]] (performing ceremonial functions) and the [[head of government]] (the chief executive).<ref name=DreznerAug2019>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/08/04/americas-head-state-mia/|title=America's head of state, M.I.A.|author=[[Daniel W. Drezner]]|date=August 4, 2019|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216105903/https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/08/04/americas-head-state-mia/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Constitution directs the president to "[[Take Care Clause|take care that the laws be faithfully executed]]"<ref name=NatureScope/> and requires the president to [[Oath of office of the president of the United States|swear or affirm]] to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."<ref name=Oath>{{cite web|title=Article 2, Section I, Clause 8: Oath of Office|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-2/section-1/clause-8|work=U.S. Constitution Annotated|publisher=Congressional Research Service|via=Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210162914/https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-2/section-1/clause-8|url-status=live}}</ref> Legal scholars William P. Marshall and [[Saikrishna Prakash|Saikrishna B. Prakash]] write of the Clause: "the President may neither breach federal law nor order their subordinates to do so, for defiance cannot be considered faithful execution. The Constitution also incorporates the English bars on dispensing or suspending the law, with some supposing that the Clause itself prohibits both."<ref name=MarshallPrakash>William P. Marshall & [[Saikrishna Prakash|Saikrishna B. Prakash]], [https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/article-ii/clauses/348 Article II, Section 3: Common Interpretation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217120759/https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/article-ii/clauses/348 |date=February 17, 2021 }}, National Constitution Center (2021).</ref> Many presidential actions are undertaken via [[executive order]]s, [[presidential proclamations]], and [[presidential memoranda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://guides.loc.gov/executive-orders/order-proclamation-memorandum|title=Executive Order, Proclamation, or Executive Memorandum?|work=Executive Orders: A Beginner's Guide|year=2020|publisher=Library of Congress Research Guide|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207183225/https://guides.loc.gov/executive-orders/order-proclamation-memorandum|url-status=live}}</ref>

The president is the [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[United States armed forces|armed forces]].<ref name=NatureScope/><ref name=CommanderChief>{{cite web|publisher=Congressional Research Service|url=https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C1-1-2/ALDE_00001128/|title=ArtII.S2.C1.1.2 Commander in Chief Power: Doctrine and Practice|work=Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=January 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106200602/https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C1-1-2/ALDE_00001128/|url-status=live}}</ref> Under the [[Reception Clause]], the president is empowered to "receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers"; the president has broad authority to conduct foreign relations, is generally considered to have the sole power of [[diplomatic recognition]],<ref name=NatureScope/><ref name=Binkley>{{cite book|author=Wilfred E. Binkley|pages=247–57|date=1959|title=The Man in the White House: His Powers and Duties|edition=paperback 2009|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press}}</ref> and is the United States' chief diplomat,<ref name=Binkley/> although the Congress also has an important role in legislating on foreign affairs,<ref name=NatureScope/><ref name=Binkley/> and can, for example, "institute a trade embargo, declare war upon a foreign government that the President had recognized, or decline to appropriate funds for an embassy in that country."<ref name=Binkley/> The president may also negotiate and sign treaties, but ratifying treaties requires the consent of two-thirds of the Senate.<ref name=TreatyMaking>{{cite web|publisher=Congressional Research Service|url=https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C2-1/ALDE_00001135/|title=ArtII.S2.C2.1 The Treaty Making Power|work=Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131062728/https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C2-1/ALDE_00001135/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Article II's [[Appointments Clause]] provides that the president "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other [[Officers of the United States]]" while providing that "Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments."<ref name=AppointmentsClause>{{cite web|publisher=Congressional Research Service|url=https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C2-2-1-1/ALDE_00001136/|title=ArtII.S2.C2.2.1.1 Appointing Ambassadors, Ministers, and Consuls|work=Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227014010/https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C2-2-1-1/ALDE_00001136/|url-status=live}}</ref> These appointments delegate "by legal authority a portion of the sovereign powers of the federal government."<ref name="doj">{{cite book|author=Steven G. Bradbury|author-link=Steven G. Bradbury|title=Offices of the United States Within the Meaning of the Appointments Clause|date=April 16, 2007|publisher=United States Department of Justice [[Office of Legal Counsel]]|url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/olc/opinions/attachments/2015/05/29/op-olc-v031-p0083.pdf|ref=doj|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221020138/https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/olc/opinions/attachments/2015/05/29/op-olc-v031-p0083.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Constitution grants the president the "Power to [[Federal pardons in the United States|grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States]], except in Cases of Impeachment"; this [[clemency]] power includes the power to issue absolute or conditional pardons, and to issue [[commutation of sentence|commute sentences]], to remit fines, and to issue general [[amnesty|amnesties]].<ref name=PardonPower>{{cite web|publisher=Congressional Research Service|url=https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C1-3-1-1/ALDE_00001132/|title=ArtII.S2.C1.3.1.1 Scope of the Pardon Power|work=Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127151353/https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C1-3-1-1/ALDE_00001132/|url-status=live}}</ref> The presidential clemency power extends only to federal crimes, and not to state crimes.<ref name=BrennanCenterPardonPower>{{cite web|url=https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/presidential-pardon-power-explained|publisher=Brennan Center for Justice|title=Explainer: Presidential Pardon Power Explained|date=January 9, 2021|author=Lauren-Brooke Eisen, Hernandez Stroud & Josh Bell|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203061926/https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/presidential-pardon-power-explained|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The president has informal powers beyond their formal powers. For example, the president has major [[agenda-setting]] powers to influence lawmaking and policymaking,<ref>{{cite journal|title=The President as Agenda Setter-in-Chief: The Dynamics of Congressional and Presidential Agenda Setting|author1=Paul E. Rutledge |author2=Heather A. Larsen |journal=Policy Studies Journal|volume=42|issue=3|date=August 2014|doi=10.1111/psj.12068|pages=443–464|doi-access=free}}</ref> and typically has a major role as the [[Party leader|leader of their political party]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The President as Party Leader|author=James W. Davis|year= 1992|publisher=Praeger}}</ref>

====Election, succession, and term limits====
{{Further information|United States presidential election}}
The [[President of the United States|president]] and [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]] are normally elected as [[running mates]] by the [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]]; each [[U.S. state|state]] has a number of electoral votes equal to the size of its Congressional delegation (''i.e.'', its number of Representatives in the House plus its two senators). The [[District of Columbia]] has a number of electoral votes "equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State".<ref name="ArtII wikisource" /><ref>{{Cite wikisource|title=23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution|plaintitle=|url=}}</ref> A President may also be seated by [[Order of succession|succession]]. As originally drafted, there was no limit to the time a President could serve, however the Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, originally limits any president to serving two four-year terms (8 years); the amendment specifically "caps the service of a president at 10 years" by providing that "if a person succeeds to the office of president without election and serves less than two years, he may run for two full terms; otherwise, a person succeeding to office of president can serve no more than a single elected term."<ref name="Amd-XXII">{{Cite wikisource|title=Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution}}</ref><ref>Michael Levy, [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twenty-second-Amendment Twenty-second Amendment: United States Constitution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416131210/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twenty-second-Amendment |date=April 16, 2021 }}, ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' (2010).</ref>

====Veto power, impeachment, and other issues====
[[File:Uncle Sam (pointing finger).png|thumb|upright=1|[[Uncle Sam]], a common [[National personification|personification]] of the U.S. federal government, depicted in an early 20th century illustration]]
Under the [[Presentment Clause]] of Article I, a bill that passes both chambers of Congress shall be presented to the president, who may sign the bill into law or [[Veto power in the United States|veto]] the bill by returning it to the chamber where it originated.<ref name=LegislativeProcess>{{cite web|title=U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 7, Clauses 1–3: The Legislative Process|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-1/section-7/clause-1-3|website=[[Legal Information Institute]]|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122183816/https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-1/section-7/clause-1-3|url-status=live}}</ref> If the president neither signs nor vetoes a bill "within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him" it becomes a law without the president's signature, "unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return in which Case it shall not be a Law" (called a [[pocket veto]]).<ref name=LegislativeProcess/> A presidential veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress;<ref name=LegislativeProcess/> this occurs relatively infrequently.<ref name=VetoStates>{{cite web|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/presidential-vetoes|title=Presidential Vetoes: Washington to Biden|date=January 8, 2021|work=American Presidency Project|publisher=University of California, Santa Barbara|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227003039/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/presidential-vetoes|url-status=live}}</ref>

The president may be [[impeachment in the United States|impeached]] by a majority in the House and removed from office by a two-thirds majority in the Senate for "[[treason]], [[Bribery#Government|bribery]], or other [[high crimes and misdemeanors]]". 

The president may not [[Dissolution of Parliament|dissolve Congress]], but has the power to adjourn Congress whenever the House and Senate cannot agree when to adjourn; no president has ever used this power.<ref name=MarshallPrakash/> The president also has the constitutional power to, "on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them"; this power has been used "to consider nominations, war, and emergency legislation."<ref name=MarshallPrakash/> This Section invests the President with the discretion to convene Congress on "extraordinary occasions"; this [[special session]] power that has been used to call the chambers to consider urgent matters.<ref name=MarshallPrakash/>

=== Vice president ===
{{Main|Vice President of the United States}}
[[File:Seal of the Vice President of the United States.svg|thumb|right|upright=1|[[Seal of the vice president of the United States]]]]
The vice president is the second-highest official in rank of the federal government. The vice president's duties and powers are established in the legislative branch of the federal government under Article 1, Section 3, Clauses 4 and 5 as the [[President of the Senate#United States|president of the Senate]]; this means that they are the designated presiding officer of the Senate. In that capacity, the vice president has the authority (''[[ex officio]]'', for they are not an elected member of the Senate) to cast a [[United States Vice Presidents' tie-breaking votes|tie-breaking vote]]. Pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twelfth Amendment]], the vice president presides over the [[Joint session of the United States Congress|joint session of Congress]] when it convenes to count the vote of the [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]]. As first in the [[United States presidential line of succession|U.S. presidential line of succession]], the vice president's duties and powers move to the executive branch when becoming president upon the death, resignation, or removal of the president, which has happened [[Us presidents#About the list|nine times]] in U.S. history. Lastly, in the case of a [[Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-fifth Amendment]] succession event, the vice president would become acting president, assuming all of the powers and duties of president, except being designated as president. Accordingly, by circumstances, the Constitution designates the vice president as routinely in the legislative branch, or succeeding to the executive branch as president, or possibly being in both as acting president pursuant to the [[Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-fifth Amendment]]. Because of circumstances, the overlapping nature of the duties and powers attributed to the office, the title of the office and other matters, such has generated a spirited scholarly dispute regarding attaching an exclusive branch designation to the office of vice president.<ref name=Goldstein>{{cite journal|last=Goldstein|first=Joel K.|title=The New Constitutional Vice Presidency|journal=Wake Forest Law Review|volume=30|issue=505|year=1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Reynolds|first=Glenn Harlan|author-link=Glenn Reynolds|title=Is Dick Cheney Unconstitutional?|journal=Northwestern University Law Review Colloquy|volume=102|issue=110|year=2007}}</ref>

=== Cabinet, executive departments, and agencies ===
{{Main|Cabinet of the United States|United States federal executive departments|List of federal agencies in the United States}}
Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution sets forth the creation of a presidential Cabinet. The role of the Cabinet is to advise the president and carry out the programs and laws of the federal government. The Cabinet is composed of the vice president and the leaders of 15 executive departments. Those executive departments are the Departments of State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-09 |title=The Cabinet |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/cabinet |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=[[White House]] |language=en}}</ref> 

Additionally, there are seven other members of the Cabinet who are appointed by the president. These are the White House Chief of Staff, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, United States Trade Representative, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Administrator of the Small Business Administration.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Executive Branch |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-executive-branch/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref>

The heads of the 15 departments are chosen by the president and approved with the "advice and consent" of the U.S. Senate. Once confirmed, these "Cabinet secretaries" serve at the pleasure of the president. 

In addition to the executive departments, a number of staff organizations are grouped into the [[Executive Office of the President]] (EOP), which was created in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.<ref name=":0" /> The EOP is overseen by the White House Chief of Staff. The EOP includes the [[White House]] staff, the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]], the [[Office of Management and Budget]], the [[Council of Economic Advisers]], the [[Council on Environmental Quality]], the [[Office of the United States Trade Representative|Office of the U.S. Trade Representative]], the [[Office of National Drug Control Policy]], and the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy]].

Outside of the EOP and the executive departments are a number of [[Independent agencies of the United States government|independent agencies]]. These include the [[United States Postal Service]] (USPS), [[NASA]], the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA), the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA), and the [[United States Agency for International Development]] (USAID). In addition, there are [[government-owned corporation]]s, including the [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]] and the [[National Railroad Passenger Corporation]].

== Judicial branch ==
{{Main|Federal judiciary of the United States}}
{{Further|Supreme Court of the United States}}
{{See also|Article Three of the United States Constitution}}

The Judiciary, under Article III of the Constitution, explains and applies the laws. This branch does this by hearing and eventually making decisions on various legal cases.

=== Overview of the federal judiciary ===
[[File:Seal of the United States Supreme Court.svg|thumb|upright=1|Seal of the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]]]]
Article III section I of the Constitution establishes the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] and authorizes the [[United States Congress]] to establish inferior courts as their need shall arise. Section I also establishes a lifetime tenure for all federal judges and states that their compensation may not be diminished during their time in office. Article II section II establishes that all federal judges are to be appointed by the president and confirmed by the United States Senate.

The [[Judiciary Act of 1789]] subdivided the nation jurisdictionally into [[United States federal judicial district|judicial districts]] and created federal courts for each district. The three tiered structure of this act established the basic structure of the national judiciary: the Supreme Court, 13 courts of appeals, 94 district courts, and two courts of special jurisdiction. Congress retains the power to re-organize or even abolish federal courts lower than the Supreme Court.

The U.S. Supreme Court decides [[cases and controversies]], which include matters pertaining to the federal government, disputes between states, and interpretation of the United States Constitution, and, in general, can declare legislation or executive action made at any level of the government as [[Judicial review in the United States|unconstitutional]], nullifying the law and creating [[precedent]] for future law and decisions. The United States Constitution does not specifically mention the power of [[Judicial review in the United States|judicial review]], which is the power to declare a law unconstitutional. There have been instances in the past where such declarations have been ignored by the other two branches. Below the U.S. Supreme Court are the [[United States court of appeals|United States Courts of Appeals]], and below them in turn are the [[United States district court|United States District Courts]], which are the general trial courts for federal law, and for certain controversies between litigants who are not deemed citizens of the same state, known as [[diversity jurisdiction]].

There are three levels of federal courts with general jurisdiction, which are courts that handle both [[criminal law|criminal]] and [[civil law (legal system)|civil]] suits between individuals. Other courts, such as the [[United States bankruptcy court|bankruptcy courts]] and the [[United States Tax Court|U.S. Tax Court]], are specialized courts handling only certain kinds of cases, known as [[subject matter jurisdiction]]. The Bankruptcy Courts are supervised by the district courts, and, as such, are not considered part of the [[Article Three of the United States Constitution|Article III]] judiciary. As such, their judges do not have lifetime tenure, nor are they Constitutionally exempt from diminution of their remuneration.<ref>[[Federal tribunals in the United States]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2024}} The Tax Court is an Article I Court, not an Article III Court.<ref>[[United States Tax Court]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2024}}

The district courts are the trial courts wherein cases that are considered under the Judicial Code (Title 28, United States Code) consistent with the jurisdictional precepts of [[federal question jurisdiction]], diversity jurisdiction, and [[pendent jurisdiction]] can be filed and decided. The district courts can also hear cases under [[removal jurisdiction]], wherein a case brought in a state court meets the requirements for diversity jurisdiction, and one party litigant chooses to "remove" the case from state court to federal court.

The United States Courts of Appeals are appellate courts that hear appeals of cases decided by the district courts, and some direct appeals from administrative agencies, and some interlocutory appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court hears appeals from the decisions of the courts of appeals or state supreme courts, and in addition has [[original jurisdiction]] over a few cases.

The judicial power extends to cases arising under the Constitution, an [[Act of Congress]]; a U.S. [[treaty]]; cases affecting [[ambassador]]s, [[Diplomatic rank|ministers]] and [[Consul (representative)|consuls]] of foreign countries in the U.S.; cases and controversies to which the federal government is a party; controversies between states (or their citizens) and foreign nations (or their citizens or subjects); and bankruptcy cases (collectively "federal-question jurisdiction"). The [[Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution|Eleventh Amendment]] removed from federal jurisdiction cases in which citizens of one state were the plaintiffs and the government of another state was the defendant. It did not disturb federal jurisdiction in cases in which a state government is a plaintiff and a citizen of another state the defendant.

The power of the federal courts extends both to civil actions for damages and other redress, and to criminal cases arising under federal law. The interplay of the Supremacy Clause and Article III has resulted in a complex set of relationships between state and federal courts. Federal courts can sometimes hear cases arising under state law pursuant to [[diversity jurisdiction]], state courts can decide certain matters involving federal law, and a handful of federal claims are primarily reserved by federal statute to the state courts. Both court systems have [[exclusive jurisdiction]] in some areas and [[concurrent jurisdiction]] in others.

The U.S. Constitution safeguards judicial independence by providing that federal judges shall hold office "during good behavior"; in practice, this usually means they serve until they die, retire, or resign. A judge who commits an offense while in office may be [[impeachment|impeached]] in the same way as the president or other officials of the federal government. U.S. judges are appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Another Constitutional provision prohibits Congress from reducing the pay of any present Article III judge. However, Congress is able to set a lower salary for all future judges who take office after such a pay reduction is passed by Congress.

=== Relationships between state and federal courts ===
Separate from, but not entirely independent of, this federal court system are the court systems of each state, each dealing with, in addition to federal law when not deemed preempted, a state's own laws, and having its own court rules and procedures. Although state governments and the federal government are legally ''dual sovereigns'', the Supreme Court of the United States is in many cases the appellate court from the State Supreme Courts (e.g., absent the Court countenancing the applicability of the ''[[Adequate and independent state ground|doctrine of adequate and independent State grounds]]''). The [[State supreme court|Supreme Courts of each state]] are by this doctrine the final authority on the interpretation of the applicable state's laws and Constitution. Many state constitution provisions are equal in breadth to those of the U.S. Constitution, but are considered "parallel" (thus, where, for example, the [[right to privacy]] pursuant to a state constitution is broader than the federal right to privacy, and the asserted ground is explicitly held to be "independent", the question can be finally decided in a State Supreme Court—the U.S. Supreme Court will decline to take jurisdiction).

A State Supreme Court, other than of its own accord, is bound ''only'' by the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of federal law, but is ''not'' bound by interpretation of federal law by the federal court of appeals for the federal circuit in which the state is included, or even the federal district courts located in the state, a result of the ''dual sovereigns'' concept. Conversely, a federal district court hearing a matter involving only a question of state law (usually through [[diversity jurisdiction]]) must apply the substantive law of the state in which the court sits, a result of the application of the ''[[Erie Doctrine]]''; however, at the same time, the case is heard under the [[Federal Rules of Civil Procedure]], the [[Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure]] and the [[Federal Rules of Evidence]] instead of state procedural rules (that is, the application of the ''Erie Doctrine'' only extends to a requirement that a federal court asserting diversity jurisdiction apply ''substantive'' state law, but not ''procedural'' state law, which may be different). Together, the laws of the federal and state governments form [[Law of the United States|U.S. law]].

== Budget ==
{{Main|United States federal budget}}
[[File:Federal Revenue and Spending.png|thumb|upright=1|Federal revenue and spending of the U.S. federal government as of 2021]]
[[File:Federal debt to Federal revenue ratio.webp|thumb|upright=1|The [[financial ratio]] of federal debt to federal revenue from 1996 through 2022]]
The budget document often begins with the [[President of the United States|president]]'s proposal to [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] recommending funding levels for the next [[fiscal year]], beginning October 1 and ending on September 30 of the year following. The fiscal year refers to the year in which it ends.

For fiscal year (FY) 2018, the federal government spent $4.11&nbsp;trillion. Spending equaled 20.3% of [[gross domestic product]] (GDP), equal to the 50-year average.<ref name="CBO_Nov182">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbo.gov/publication/54647 |title=CBO Monthly Budget Review-November 2018 |date=November 7, 2018 |access-date=December 6, 2018 |archive-date=December 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205194634/https://www.cbo.gov/publication/54647 |url-status=live }}</ref> The deficit equaled $779&nbsp;billion, 3.8 percent of GDP. Tax revenue amounted to $3.33&nbsp;trillion, with receipt categories including individual income taxes ($1,684B or 51%), Social Security/Social Insurance taxes ($1,171B or 35%), and corporate taxes ($205B or 6%).<ref name="CBO_Nov182"/>

== Employees ==
{{main|United States federal civil service}}
The United States federal government had about 2,260,000 civilian employees in FY2023, with about 160,000 of those in the [[District of Columbia]] (not counting the [[United States Postal Service]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/employment.asp |title=FedScope Federal Human Resources Data |publisher=U.S. Office of Personnel Management |access-date=March 11, 2024}}</ref>

== Elections and voting ==
{{Main|Elections in the United States}}
[[File:Diagram of the Federal Government and American Union edit.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Diagram of the Federal Government and American Union]] in 1862]]
[[Voting rights in the United States|Suffrage]], known as the ability to vote, has changed significantly over time. In the early years of the United States, voting was considered a matter for state governments, and was commonly restricted to white men who owned land. Direct elections were mostly held only for the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures, although what specific bodies were elected by the electorate varied from state to state. Under this original system, both senators representing each state in the U.S. Senate were chosen by a majority vote of the state legislature. Since the ratification of the [[Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Seventeenth Amendment]] in 1913, members of both houses of Congress have been directly elected. Today, U.S. citizens have almost [[universal suffrage]] under [[Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|equal protection of the laws]] from the [[Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution|age of 18]], regardless of [[Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|race]], [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|gender]], or [[Twenty-fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution|wealth]]. The only significant exception to this is the [[Felony disenfranchisement|disenfranchisement of convicted felons]], and in some states former felons as well.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the representation of [[Territories of the United States|U.S. territories]] and the federal district of [[District of Columbia]] in Congress is [[District of Columbia voting rights|limited]]: while residents of the District of Columbia are subject to federal laws and federal taxes, their only congressional representative is a [[Delegate (United States Congress)|non-voting delegate]]; however, they have participated in presidential elections since March 29, 1961.<ref>[[Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution]]</ref> 

Residents of [[Puerto Rico]] other than federal employees do not pay [[Income tax in the United States|federal personal income tax]]es on income that has its source in Puerto Rico,<ref name=Campbell>Alexia Fernández Campbell, [https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16385658/puerto-rico-taxes-hurricane Puerto Rico pays taxes. The US is obligated to help it just as much as Texas and Florida.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416113816/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16385658/puerto-rico-taxes-hurricane |date=April 16, 2021 }}, ''Vox'' (October 4, 2017).</ref><ref name=Brumbaugh>David L. Brumbaugh, [https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/20001030_RS20718_4a32936564b243cc9d9a36eb089a3b9db598cee0.pdf U.S. Federal Taxes in Puerto Rico] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415045818/https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/20001030_RS20718_4a32936564b243cc9d9a36eb089a3b9db598cee0.pdf |date=April 15, 2021 }}, Congressional Research Service (October 30, 2000).</ref> and do not pay most federal [[excise tax]]es (for example, the federal [[gasoline tax]]);<ref name=Brumbaugh/> however, Puerto Ricans pay all other federal taxes, including the federal [[payroll tax]]es that [[FICA tax|fund Social Security and Medicare]]; the [[Federal Unemployment Tax Act|FUTA]] tax; and business, [[gift tax|gift]], and [[estate tax]]es.<ref name=Brumbaugh/><ref name=Campbell/> Puerto Rico is represented in the Congress by a nonvoting [[Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico|Resident Commissioner]], a nonvoting delegate.<ref>Christopher M. Davis, [https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40170.pdf Parliamentary Rights of the Delegates and Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224205441/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40170.pdf |date=February 24, 2021 }}, Congressional Research Service (October 16, 2019).</ref>

== State, tribal, and local governments ==
{{Main|State governments of the United States|Tribal sovereignty in the United States|Local government in the United States}}
[[File:Map of USA with county outlines.png|thumb|upright=1|alt=United States|The states of the United States as divided into [[Counties of the United States|counties]] (or, in [[Louisiana]] and [[Alaska]], [[List of parishes in Louisiana|parishes]] and [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|boroughs]], respectively). Alaska and [[Hawaii]] are not to scale and the [[Aleutian Islands|Aleutian]] and uninhabited [[Northwestern Hawaiian Islands]] have been omitted.]]
State governments have the greatest influence over most Americans' daily lives. The [[Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Tenth Amendment]] prohibits the federal government from exercising any power not delegated to it by the Constitution; as a result, states handle the majority of issues most relevant to individuals within their jurisdiction. Because state governments are not authorized to print currency, they generally have to raise revenue through either taxes or bonds. As a result, state governments tend to impose severe budget cuts or raise taxes any time the economy is faltering.<ref>{{cite web| title = A brief overview of state fiscal conditions and the effects of federal policies on state budgets| publisher = Center on Budget and Policy Priorities| date = May 12, 2004| url = http://www.cbpp.org/10-22-03sfp4.pdf| access-date = July 30, 2008| archive-date = March 18, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090318003533/http://www.cbpp.org/10-22-03sfp4.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref>

Each state has its own written constitution, government and code of laws. The Constitution stipulates only that each state must have, "a Republican Government". Therefore, there are often great differences in law and procedure between individual states, concerning issues such as property, crime, health and education, amongst others. The highest elected official of each state is the [[Governor#United States|Governor]], with below him being the [[Lieutenant governor (United States)|Lieutenant Governor]]. Each state also has an elected [[state legislature (US)|state legislature]] ([[bicameralism]] is a feature of every state except [[Nebraska]]), whose members represent the voters of the state. Each state maintains its own [[State court (United States)|state court]] system. In some states, supreme and lower court justices are elected by the people; in others, they are appointed, as they are in the federal system.

As a result of the Supreme Court case ''[[Worcester v. Georgia]]'', [[Tribal sovereignty in the United States|American Indian tribes]] are considered "domestic dependent nations" that operate as [[tribal sovereignty|sovereign]] governments subject to federal authority but, in some cases, outside of the jurisdiction of state governments. Hundreds of laws, executive orders and court cases have modified the governmental status of tribes [[Face-to-face (philosophy)|vis-à-vis]] individual states, but the two have continued to be recognized as separate bodies. Tribal governments vary in robustness, from a simple council used to manage all aspects of tribal affairs, to large and complex bureaucracies with several branches of government. Tribes are currently encouraged to form their own governments, with power resting in elected tribal councils, elected tribal chairpersons, or religiously appointed leaders (as is the case with [[pueblo]]s). Tribal citizenship and voting rights are typically restricted to individuals of native descent, but tribes are free to set whatever citizenship requirements they wish.

The institutions that are responsible for local government within states are typically [[County (United States)|counties]], [[Municipality|municipalities]], and [[Special district (United States)|special-purpose districts]], which make laws that affect their particular area. These laws concern issues such as traffic, the sale of alcohol and the keeping of animals. A county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state, while [[Louisiana]] and [[Alaska]] have county-equivalent subdivisions called [[List of parishes in Louisiana|parishes]] and [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|boroughs]], respectively. The specific governmental powers of counties vary widely between the states, with those in [[Connecticut]], [[Rhode Island]], and some parts of [[Alaska]] and [[Massachusetts]] having little or no power, existing only as geographic distinctions. In other areas, county governments have more power, such as to collect taxes and maintain [[Policing in the United States|law enforcement]] agencies. Twenty states further divide their counties into [[civil township]]s. Population centers may be organized into [[municipal corporation|incorporated municipalities]] of several types, including the [[city]], [[town]], [[Borough (United States)|borough]], and [[Village (United States)|village]]. These municipal entities also vary from state to state, and typically subordinate to the government of a county or civil township. However, many rural and suburban regions are in [[unincorporated area]]s that have no municipal government below the county or civil township level. Certain cities have consolidated with their county government to form [[consolidated city-county|consolidated city-counties]], or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form [[Independent city (United States)|independent cities]]. States may also create special-purpose districts that perform a single function or a set of related functions within an area inside one or more counties or municipalities, like [[school district]]s, water management districts, fire management districts, and library districts.

== See also ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
===President===
* [[Executive Office of the President of the United States|Executive Office]]
* [[Line-item veto in the United States|Line-item veto]]

===Courts===
* [[United States district court|District courts]]
* [[United States federal courts|Federal courts]]
* [[United States federal judicial circuits|Federal judicial circuit]]
{{col-break}}

===Law===
* [[United States Code|U.S. Code]]

===Agencies===
* [[List of federal agencies in the United States|Federal agencies]]
{{col-break}}
{{Portal|United States|Politics}}

===States and territories===
* [[Political divisions of the United States|Political divisions]]
* [[United States territory|U.S. territory]]

===Works and websites===
* [[Business.gov]]
* [[Copyright status of work by the U.S. government]]
* [[USA.gov]]
{{col-end}}
* [[Criticism of the United States government]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [[Fred Greenstein|Greenstein, Fred I.]]; Larry Berman; [[Alvin S. Felzenberg]]. ''Evolution of the modern presidency : a bibliographical survey'' (1977) bibliography and annotation of 2500 scholarly books and articles. [https://archive.org/details/evolutionofmoder0000gree online] 4

* {{cite book |last=Wood |first=Gordon S. |title=The creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787|ref=Wood |author-link=Gordon S. Wood |publisher=Gordon S. Wood, Institute of Early American History and Culture (Williamsburg, Va.) |year=1998 |pages=653 |isbn=978-0-8078-2422-1}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikiversity|School:Political science}}
{{Wikiversity|Topic:American government}}
* {{official website}} (Portal of the U.S. Federal government of the United States)

{{Government}}
{{United States topics}}
{{Governments of the United States}}
{{Constitution of the United States}}
{{Law of the United States}}
{{North America topic |Government of |title=Governments of North America}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Federal government of the United States| ]]
[[Category:1789 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Federalism in the United States]]