The Constitution splits power into three branches. Each one has its own job, and each one can stop the others from going too far.
Makes the laws
Congress has two parts: the House and the Senate. A new law has to pass both.
Carries out the laws
The President leads, with the Vice President, the Cabinet and the federal agencies.
Explains the laws
The Supreme Court is the highest court. Lower federal courts handle most cases first.
Read the whole Constitution, clause by clause, with the disputes under each clause →
This is called checks and balances. No branch gets the final word on everything.
Can veto a bill Congress passed.
Can override a veto with two-thirds of both chambers, control the money, and impeach.
Can rule that a law or action breaks the Constitution.
Picks new federal judges.
The Senate approves or rejects judges. Congress can impeach a judge.
Vote them in or out.
A bill is an idea for a new law.
A small group of members can change it, pass it on, or stop it.
Both have to pass the exact same words.
If signed, it becomes a law.
Two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate can make it a law anyway.
An executive order is a written order from the President telling the federal government how to do its work. It is not a new law.
Each dot is one seat. Blue is a Democrat, red is a Republican. Tap or hover over a dot to see who sits there.
Pick a dot to see who holds that seat.
Elections: every House seat is up every 2 years. About one-third of Senate seats are up every 2 years, because senators serve 6-year terms. The President is elected every 4 years. See the 2026 elections →
Nine justices. They are not elected and do not represent a party. The President picks them, the Senate approves them, and they can serve for life.
Where this comes from: the job descriptions follow the U.S. Constitution, linked above. Today's seats come from the public congress-legislators list. Past Congresses come from Voteview's record of everyone who served. Justices come from the Federal Judicial Center.