Legislative Branch
As a compromise between the big states and the small states during the drafting of the constitution, the founding fathers divided the legislative branch into two parts — the Senate and the House of Representatives, which together form the United States Congress.

Each state gets two Senators, so Chuck is one of one hundred Senators. Each state is divided into a number of districts according to its population. Before he was elected to the Senate, Chuck was the representative in the House of Representatives for New York's Ninth Congressional District in Brooklyn and Queens.

Congress' main job is to pass laws for the United States. A law begins as a bill written by a representative or a Senator. It first goes to a committee, which is much smaller than either the Senate or the House as a whole. The members of the committee hold hearings to learn more about the issue and may change the bill. Next they take a vote, and if the bill passes it goes to either the entire House or the entire Senate depending on whether it was written by a Senator or a Representative.

If it passes, the bill then goes to the other half of the Congress for a vote. If they pass the bill, then the President must decide to sign it into law or to veto it. If the President vetoes the bill, the Congress can vote to override the President's veto, but this requires the votes of two-thirds of the members of both houses.

In addition, the Senate must vote on the President's choices for who should be federal judges and for other important jobs in the federal government like the Attorney General or Ambassadors to foreign countries. The Constitution says that these choices — called "nominations" — must be made with "the advice and consent" of the Senate. After the President nominates someone, the Senators vote whether or not to allow the person to have the job. This process is known as "confirmation."

Agreements and treaties that the President makes with the leaders of other countries also must be voted on by the Senate.

Executive Branch
The executive branch consists of the President and most of the federal agencies who conduct the business of the government at home and overseas. The main job of the executive branch is to execute or carry out the laws and policies of the United States.

The President is allowed to veto bills passed by the Congress which prevents them from becoming laws. He also decides who should be in charge of the different parts of the government. The most important officials in the government form the Cabinet which advises the President.

The President is also responsible for representing the United States in foreign countries and making agreements with the leaders of those countries. He is Commander in Chief of America's military forces — the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines — meaning that he gives orders to the top Generals and Admirals in the different parts of the military. The Congress, however, is the only part of the government that can declare war against another country.

Judicial Branch
The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court as well the federal appellate and district courts. Cases usually begin in a federal District or Bankruptcy Court. If the defendant in a criminal case or either party to a civil case is not happy with the decision (called a "verdict") that the court makes they can appeal it to a Court of Appeals. A further appeal to the Supreme Court is usually possible only in very important cases. New York is part of the Second Circuit. If you live in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, or Long Island, you are a part of the Eastern District; Manhattan, the Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Sullivan, Orange, and Dutchess are the Southern District. Western New York, and the Elmira and Rochester areas are part of the Western District. The North Country, the Capital Region, Central New York, and the areas surrounding Binghamton and Syracuse are the Northern District.