Presidential Powers 1 2 3 4 5 Executive

Presidential Powers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Executive Powers Diplomatic Powers Military Powers Judicial Powers Legislative Powers

Executive Powers 1. Executing laws - the laws that Congress passes are usually broad and allow the president a great deal of freedom in interpreting how to carry out and enforce them - executive orders: detailed instructions, regulations, and rules that state how to carry out and enforce legislation

Executive Powers 2. Appointing officials - can influence the government’s priorities and policies by appointing officials to fill key positions - checked by the Senate

Executive Powers 3. Executive Privilege - the president’s right not to hand over documents or to testify regarding matters that he or she believes are the executive branch’s confidential business

Diplomatic Powers 1. Making treaties - peace agreements to end wars and trade agreements to set up economic ties and terms of trade - alliance: agreement between two or more countries to help each other for defense, economic, scientific, or other reasons

Diplomatic Powers 2. Making executive agreements - a more informal understanding between the president and the leader of a foreign government - 60 days to notify Congress

Diplomatic Powers 3. Recognizing countries - determines whether the US officially recognizes a government as the proper representative of its country’s people - to set up official relations

Military Powers 1. Committing troops - troops can be sent to keep the peace and pass out food or to invade a country and remove its leader

Military Powers 2. War Powers Act - requires that soldiers sent abroad by the president be brought back within 60 days unless Congress approves the action

Judicial Powers 1. Can appoint Supreme Court justices with the approval of Senate

Judicial Powers 2. Can grant the following a. Reprieve: - postpones the carrying out of a person’s sentence - allows time for the convicted person to gather evidence or to appeal for a new trial

Judicial Powers 2. Can grant the following b. Pardon: - grants forgiveness to a convicted criminal and frees the person from serving out his or her sentence c. Commutation: - lessons the severity of a convicted person’s sentence d. Amnesty: an overall pardon for a large group

Legislative Powers 1. Recommending legislation: - during the State of the Union Address 2. Vetoing legislation: - can use threat of veto to pressure Congress into modifying a bill 3. Lobbying: - can make personal phone calls and invite members of Congress to the White House to try to influence their voting

Presidential Powers Quiz • 1. JUDICIAL • 2. EXECUTIVE • 3. DIPLOMATIC • 4. LEGISLATIVE • 5. MILITARY