17 Federal Departments

Within the Executive Branch, there are a number of executive departments. Currently these are the departments of State, Treasury, Defence, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labour, Health and Human Resources, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy and Education. Each department is established by law and each is responsible for a specific area. The head of each department is appointed by the President. These appointments must be approved by the Senate. The heads of the departments are usually called Secretaries. The Secretaries are directly responsible to the President and can be seen as the President’s assistants and advisers. When they meet together, they are called “the President’s Cabinet”.

The Department of State, headed by the Secretary of State, advises the President on foreign relations. The Treasury Department manages government finances, collects taxes, mints coins and prints paper money. The Department of Defence is responsible for the nation’s security. The Department of the Interior protects and develops the nation’s natural resources and manages the national parks. The Department of the Agriculture aids food production and looks after the interests of farmers. The Department of Labour is concerned with the working conditions, safety and welfare of the nation’s nonfarm workers. It enforces the laws on minimum wages and maximum hours for workers. (1200)

Notes to the text:

within - внутри

a number of - ряд

is responsible for – ответственен за

can be seen as – можно рассматривать как

Treasury – министерство финансов

is concerned with - заботится о

nonfarm workers – не фермерские работники

it enforces – он претворяет в жизнь

18 The System of Checks and Balances

According to the Constitution of the USA there are three main branches of government which are separate and distinct from one another. The powers of each branch are carefully balanced by the powers of the other two. Each branch serves as a check on the others. This is to keep any branch from gaining too much power or from misusing its powers.

Congress has the power to make laws, but the President may veto any act of Congress. Congress, in its turn, can override a veto by a two-thirds vote in each house. Congress can also refuse to provide funds requested by the President. The President can appoint important officials of his administration, but they must be approved by the Senate. The President also has the power to name all federal judges; they too must be approved by the Senate. The courts have the power to determine the constitutionality of all acts of Congress and of presidential actions, and to strike down those they find unconstitutional.

The system of checks and balances makes compromise and consensus necessary. Compromise is also a vital aspect of other levels of government in the United States. The system protects against extremes. It means, for example, that new presidents cannot radically change governmental policies just as they wish. In the US, therefore, when people think of the “government”, they usually mean the entire system, that is, the Executive Branch and the President, Congress, and the Courts. (1200)

Notes to the text:

the system of checks and balances – система сдержек и противовесов

according to - согласно

from gaining too much power – от получения слишком большой власти

from misusing its powers – от злоупотребления своей властью

in its turn – в свою очередь

override a veto – отменить вето

by a two-thirds vote – двумя третьими голосов

to name all federal judges – назначить всех федеральных судей

to strike down - отменить

protects against extremes – защищает от крайностей

it means – это означает

just as they wish – просто как они того хотят