CHAPTER 3 Federal Government Military Personnel Enjoying the Missouri State Fair, c1940s. (Missouri State Archives, State Fair Collection) 106 OFFICIAL MANUAL Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security; Mel Martinez, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior; United States John Ashcroft, Attorney General; Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor; Colin Powell, Secretary of State; Government Norman Mineta, Secretary of Transportation; John Snow, Secretary of the Treasury; Anthony Principi, Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs. Executive Branch In addition to secretaries of the cabinet, the The White House president maintains a White House staff of advis- 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. ers who serve at his pleasure. Washington, D.C. 20500 Telephone: (202) 456-1414 President Bush’s Executive Officers The president and the vice president of the with Cabinet Rank United States are elected every four years by a Richard B. Cheney, Vice President; majority of votes cast in the electoral college. These Christie Todd Whitman, Environmental Protec- votes are cast by delegates from each state who tion Agency; vote in accordance, traditionally, with the majority Mitchell E. Daniels Jr., Office of Management of the state’s voters. States have as many electoral and Budget; college votes as they have congressional delegates. Andrew H. Card Jr., Chief of Staff; Missouri has 11 electoral college votes—one for Robert B. Zoellick, U.S. Trade Representative; each of the nine U.S. Congress districts and two for John Walters, Office of National Drug Control the state’s two seats in the U.S. Senate. Policy. The president is the chief executive of the Unit- ed States, with powers to command the armed Legislative Branch forces, control foreign policy, grant reprieves and The U.S. Constitution provides for two hous- pardons, make certain appointments, execute all es, known as the Congress. The Senate is com- laws passed by Congress and present the adminis- posed of 100 members; two senators are elected tration’s budget. The president earns $400,000 from each state. The House of Representatives is annually, with an allowance for expenses. composed of 435 members; representatives are The vice president is selected by members of determined based on the population of each each national political committee and runs on the state. Missouri is allotted nine U.S. Repre- same ticket for the same term as the president. The sentative seats. vice president assumes the presidency if the presi- Senators must be at least 30 years of age and dent dies or resigns the office, is incapacitated to be residents of the United States for at least nine the extent that he or she cannot exercise presiden- years. They also must reside in the state they are tial duties for an extended period, or is impeached. elected to represent. Senators serve terms of six The vice president presides over the functions of years, with one-third of the Senate membership the U.S. Senate and acts as emissary of the presi- elected every two years. Senators earn $154,700 dent. The vice president earns $198,600 annually, annually, plus expenses. plus an allowance for expenses. Representatives must be at least 25 years of Although not mentioned in the Constitution, age and must have been residents of the United the president’s cabinet is the advisory arm of the States for at least seven years. They also must office. It is made up of 15 cabinet members (or sec- reside in the state they represent. Representa- retaries) who have the responsibility to operate tives serve two-year terms and earn $154,700 each department. Secretaries are appointed by the annually, plus expenses. president and serve at his pleasure. Cabinet secre- taries earn $171,900 annually. Congress is in session for two years, begin- ning on January 3 of each year unless another date is specified. The presiding officer of the Sen- Members, President Bush’s Cabinet ate is the vice president of the United States. The Ann M. Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture; Senate also elects a president pro tem of the Sen- Don Evans, Secretary of Commerce; ate to serve in the absence of the vice president. Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense; The president pro tem also represents the party in Rod Paige, Secretary of Education; power and earns $171,900. The presiding officer of Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy; the House is called the speaker. The speaker tradi- Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and tionally represents the party in majority and earns Human Services; $198,600. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 107 The White House, Washington, D.C. Judicial Branch Other Federal Courts The U.S. Supreme Court heads the nation’s Immediately below the Supreme Court are judicial branch of government. The Supreme Court the U.S. Courts of Appeals and the U.S. District is composed of nine justices, appointed for life. Courts. The Courts of Appeals operate in 11 Supreme Court judges may only be removed by regions and the District of Columbia. Missouri is impeachment and trial by Congress. Justices served by the Eighth Circuit. Appeals Court receive $184,400 annually while the chief justice, judges earn $159,100 annually. who leads the court, earns $192,600. There are 94 U.S. District Court districts with The Supreme Court concerns itself with nation- federal jurisdiction. Two of these are located in al issues or matters concerning the constitutionali- Missouri: the Eastern Missouri District and the ty of certain laws or findings. Decisions of the court Western Missouri District. Eastern District courts are binding and overrule any other court decision. are located in St. Louis, Hannibal and Cape Gir- ardeau while Western District courts are in Members, United States Kansas City, St. Joseph, Springfield, Jefferson City and Joplin. Federal charges stemming from both Supreme Court civil and criminal suits generally begin in U.S. 1 First St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20543 District Court. Judges in these courts earn Telephone: (202) 479-3000 $150,000 annually. William H. Rehnquist, chief justice; For information on other agencies or pro- John Paul Stevens, associate justice; grams of the U.S. government operating in Mis- Sandra Day O’Connor, associate justice; souri, contact the Federal Information Center, Antonin Scalia, associate justice; Room 2616 Federal Building, 1520 Market St., Anthony M. Kennedy, associate justice; St. Louis 63103, phone (toll free) 800-735-8004. David Hackett Souter, associate justice; Clarence Thomas, associate justice; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, associate justice; Steven G. Breyer, associate justice. UNITED STATES PRESIDENT 109 George W. Bush United States President GEORGE W. BUSH (Republican) is the 43rd accountability, and strengthening local control. President of the United States. He was sworn He has signed tax relief that provided rebate into office January 20, 2001, after a campaign in checks and lower tax rates for everyone who which he outlined sweeping proposals to reform pays income taxes in America. He has increased America’s public schools, transform our national pay and benefits for America’s military and is defense, provide tax relief, modernize Social working to save and strengthen Social Security Security and Medicare, and encourage faith- and Medicare. He is also committed to ushering based and community organizations to work in a responsibility era in America, and has called with government to help Americans in need. on all Americans to be “citizens, not spectators; President Bush served for six years as the 46th Governor of the State of Texas, where he earned citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens build- a reputation as a compassionate conservative ing communities of service and a Nation of char- who shaped public policy based on the princi- acter.” ples of limited government, personal responsi- The attacks of September 11th changed bility, strong families, and local control. America—and in President Bush’s words, “in our President Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in grief and anger we have found our mission and New Haven, Connecticut, and he grew up in our moment.” President Bush declared war Midland and Houston, Texas. He received a against terror and has made victory in the war on bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1968, terrorism and the advance of human freedom the then served as an F-102 fighter pilot in the Texas priorities of his Administration. Already, the Air National Guard. President Bush received a United States military and a great coalition of Master of Business Administration from Harvard nations have liberated the people of Afghanistan Business School in 1975. After graduating, he from the brutal Taliban regime and denied Al moved back to Midland and began a career in Qaeda its safe haven of operations. Thousands of the energy business. After working on his father’s terrorists have been captured or killed and oper- successful 1988 presidential campaign, he assembled the group of partners that purchased ations have been disrupted in many countries the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989. around the world. In the President’s words, “our Nation—this generation—will lift a dark threat He served as managing general partner of the of violence from our people and our future. We Texas Rangers until he was elected Governor on will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. He became the first Governor in Texas his- by our courage. We will not tire, we will not fal- tory to be elected to consecutive four-year terms ter, and we will not fail.” when he was re-elected on November 3, 1998, President Bush is married to Laura Welch with 68.6 percent of the vote. Bush, a former teacher and librarian, and they Since taking office, President Bush has have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna.