To What Extent Can the Congress and Supreme Court Limit the Powers of the President

960 Words4 Pages
To what extent can the Congress and the Supreme Court limit the powers of the President? In the United States of America, the government is divided into three main branches; The Executive Branch- which the President belongs to, Legislative Branch made up on the Congress and finally the Judicial Function – The Supreme Court. The President is the most powerful person in the USA but his power is held in check by the Congress and The Supreme Court. If these institutions don’t like what the President intends to do then they have the power to prevent him. The Presidents greatest powers lie within foreign policy. He is Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces and it is their job to defend the USA from all foreign threats. They can order the use of troops overseas for 90 days without declaring war however; after the 90 days and if they want to declare war officially they have to get the approval of the Congress. But the President has often taken military action without declaration of war. American Presidents have authorized military force abroad more than 225 times. But only on five occasions has Congress declared war. Congress hasn’t officially declared war since the 1941 attack of Pearl Harbour. The President is also responsible for internal security. In 2001 George Bush issued an Executive order to create a Departmental of Homeland Security (DHS), which came into existence in 2003 when 22 agencies were brought together in one department. This significantly increased the potential of the administration to monitor the people in the USA.. The President can also make treaties but they have to be approved by the Senate before it can become official. The President has an important role to play in the legislative function. This includes the formation of legislation and passing new laws. Firstly, a president can propose a bill but cannot introduce them directly. A member

More about To What Extent Can the Congress and Supreme Court Limit the Powers of the President

Open Document