Responsibilities of the Federal Government

Marci Sothern - Updated June 25, 2018

Ever wonder who "FICA" is and why they are taking money out of your paycheck? The "F" in FICA stands for the "federal" government. Governments are developed by people to ensure order in society and to protect citizens. Although governments exist in a variety of forms, they perform the same essential functions. The United States government is a federal system in which the federal and state governments share power and the Constitution outlines the responsibilities of the federal government.

Make Laws

The main function of the U.S. federal government is creating and enforcing laws to ensure order and stability within society. The U.S. Constitution outlines the nation's law-making process and establishes institutions to carry out this function. Our Founding Fathers feared the concentration of power in a single individual or branch of government. To prevent this, they separated law-making powers among three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislature, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, creates laws. The executive branch enforces laws under the leadership of the president. The judiciary, which includes a federal court system headed by the Supreme Court, decides the constitutionality of these laws. This separation of powers prevents one branch from gaining influence over the others.

National Economy

The federal government also controls the nation's economy. Under the Articles of Confederation, states could print their own currency, which led to economic chaos. The Founding Fathers sought to combat these problems by creating a national currency and placing it under the control of the federal government. According to Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the authority to levy taxes, duties and excises to raise money in order to pay the country's debts. It can also borrow money and regulate both international and interstate commerce. Most importantly, Congress has the power to print or coin money, and to regulate its value.

Three Branches of Government

Social Studies Units/Introduction to U.S. Government/Three Branches of Government

When the United States was first formed as a new country hundreds of years ago, they had some important decisions to make. The new country wanted to do things differently after winning their freedom from the British. A common complaint of the British monarchy was the massive amount of power given to the king. With so much power in the hands of one person, it was easy for a ruler to become tyrannical and take away the power of the common people.

The founding fathers of the U.S. decided that the power should be spread across different groups of people. Their system called for three branches of government. These would be the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. Each of these branches would have distinct roles in the government. On top of their fundamental roles, each branch would also be part of a system that ensured another branch did not abuse its power. This system is still used today, proving that the foresight of the founding fathers was truly amazing.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of the United States is composed of members from the House of Representatives and the Senate. The main job of the legislative branch is to make the laws. The members of this branch develop ideas for laws, debate these ideas and then vote on the laws. By forcing a majority of leaders to agree on a law, this system is designed to prevent unfair laws from passing and being enforced throughout the country. The legislative branch also controls how the country spends its money and approves treaties.

The Capitol Building, where the legislative branch meets

Executive Branch

The president of the United States heads the executive branch. He or she is in charge of executing and enforcing the laws, but does not have the ability to make new laws. However, the president does have a direct say in the laws that are passed. If the president does not agree with a law that was passed by the legislative branch, he or she can veto the law. This veto prevents the law from passing. The legislative branch will have another chance to override the president’s veto by getting enough votes.The president isn’t the only member of the executive branch. Also part of this branch is the vice president, members of the presidential cabinet and heads of independent agencies. These leaders work together to ensure that laws are enforced throughout the country. They command the military in times of war and work with other countries to promote peace. While the president is often seen as the main piece, it takes a team of hard-working individuals to fulfill the roles of the executive branch.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law. Headed by the Supreme Court, this branch is made up of judges who are tasked with making key decisions about the law. They focus primarily on interpreting the Constitution and reviewing laws. The judicial branch does not make new laws or enforce current laws. Many courts do have the ability to change the law based on what they discover in their review. On top of making difficult rulings related to the law, the judicial branch also provides a way for people to settle disagreements and disputes.