How the U.S. Government Is Organized

3 Branches of U. S. Government

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U.S. Government Structure

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches to ensure a central government in which no individual or group gains too much control:

1. Legislative – Makes laws (Congress)
2. Executive – Carries out laws (President, Vice President, Cabinet)
3. Judicial – Evaluates laws (Supreme Court and Other Courts)

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches as follows:

• The president can veto laws passed by Congress.
• Congress confirms or rejects the president's appointments and can remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.
• The justices of the Supreme Court, who can overturn unconstitutional laws, are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The U.S. federal government seeks to act in the best interests of its citizens through this system of checks and balances.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch enacts legislation, confirms or rejects presidential appointments, and has the authority to declare war.

This branch includes Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and several agencies that provide support services to Congress. American citizens have the right to vote for senators and representatives through free, confidential ballots.

• Senate - There are two elected senators per state, totaling 100 senators. A senate term is six years and there's no limit to the number of terms an individual can serve.
• House of Representatives - There are 435 elected representatives, which are divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are additional non-voting delegates who represent the District of Columbia and the territories. A representative serves a two-year term, and there's no limit to the number of terms an individual can serve.

Executive Branch

The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes the president, vice president, the Cabinet, executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees.

American citizens have the right to vote for the president and vice president through free, confidential ballots.

Key roles of the executive branch include:

The president leads the country. He/she is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. The president serves a four-year term and can be elected no more than two times.

The Administration

Thousands of people work in the West Wing, the East Wing, the Cabinet, and the Executive Office of the President. Learn more about the people who carry out the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration.

• The President
• The Vice President
• The Cabinet

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution.

The judicial branch is comprised of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

• Supreme Court - The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. The justices of the Supreme Court are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate (with at least 51 votes). Congress decides the number of justices. Currently, there are nine. There is no fixed term for justices. They serve until their death, retirement, or removal in exceptional circumstances.
• Other Federal Courts - The Constitution grants Congress the authority to establish other federal courts.

U.S. Government information for all

govinfo is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch.

govinfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.

https://www.govinfo.gov/

govinfo is more than a website

In addition to providing an advanced, metadata-powered search experience, govinfo also includes a content management system and a standards-compliant preservation repository.

These three components comprise GPO’s world-class system for the comprehensive management of electronic information:

1. Public access - GPO combines modern search technology with extensive metadata creation to ensure the highest quality search experience. Users can easily access documents for free by searching or browsing the mobile-friendly website.
2. Content management – GPO securely controls digital content throughout its lifecycle to ensure content integrity and authenticity. This includes the application of digital signatures to PDF files so users can verify documents have not been altered and are the official versions.
3. Digital preservation – GPO’s ISO 16363  certified Trustworthy Digital Repository ensures content is preserved for future generations despite technical failure, aging of hardware, or technological change.

 

What can I find on govinfo?

See what's available, including information on individual publications or collections of content, or view an alphabetical list of collections, publications, other resources, and external partner sites.

• Budget of the United States Government