Three Branches of Government

Article II of the U.S. Constitution created the executive branch. Currently this branch includes the White House, the Executive Office of the President, which contains many of the offices that serve the president in his daily schedule, the 14 Cabinet departments and a number of independent agencies and commissions. Of central interest to understanding the role of the executive branch in a democracy are several executive branch agencies listed below.

The Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of the U.S federal government is the Congress. Divided into two bodies -- the Senate and the House of Representatives -- they share responsibility for making federal law.

This system is reflected in how laws are made in the United States at Tying It All Together, a website maintained by the House of Representatives.

Much of the work of Congress is handled by committees and subcommittees of which there are 16 standing committees and other special and select committees in the Senate and 19 committees in the House of Representatives. The Senate web site also provides a brief description of the committee system. Also available is a special section on how the Senate works, including a glossary of Senate terms used in discussing the legislative process.

Most senators and a number of representatives maintain their own websites, providing a convenient way for constituents to express their opinions on legislative matters by e-mail and for members to supply information on their activities to constituents and promote the interests of their states. These websites provide an interesting example of the interface between democracy and the information superhighway.

Related Links
U.S. Congressional Internet Caucus
Senate Standing, Special, Select and Other Committees
House of Representatives Committees
U.S. Code

The Judicial Branch

Often referred to as the third branch of government, the judicial branch was formed in response to Article III of the U.S. Constitution, which called on Congress to create a Supreme Court and any inferior courts deemed necessary. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and is charged with ruling on the constitutionality of federal and state laws. Currently there are two layers of federal courts below the Supreme Court -- the federal appeals courts (also known as circuit courts) and the district courts.

In addition there are other special courts:
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Territorial Courts
Court of International Trade
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals
U.S. Tax Court

Related Links
U.S. Supreme Court
The Department of Justice
Understanding the Federal Courts (PDF format)
Federal Judiciary Homepage
The Federal Judicial Center (FJC)
Justice Information Center
Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law
LII Hermes