CHAPTER 3 Federal Government “House Painter” (Missouri State Archives, Putman Collection) 104 OFFICIAL MANUAL Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Secu- rity; Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; United States Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior; Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General; Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor; Government Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State; Norman Mineta, Secretary of Transportation; John Snow, Secretary of the Treasury; Executive Branch Jim Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs. The White House In addition to secretaries of the cabinet, the 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. president maintains a White House staff of advis- Washington, D.C. 20500 ers who serve at his pleasure. 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 majority of votes cast in the electoral college. These Richard B. Cheney, Vice President; votes are cast by delegates from each state who Stephen Johnson, Environmental Protection vote in accordance, traditionally, with the majority Agency; of the state’s voters. States have as many electoral Joshua B. Bolten, Office of Management and college votes as they have congressional delegates. Budget; Missouri has 11 electoral college votes—one for Andrew H. Card Jr., Chief of Staff; each of the nine U.S. Congress districts and two for Rob Portman, U.S. Trade Representative; 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 legisla- pardons, make certain appointments, execute all tive houses, known as the Congress. The Senate is laws passed by Congress and present the adminis- composed of 100 members; two senators are tration’s budget. The president earns $400,000 elected from each state. The House of Repre- annually, with an allowance for expenses. sentatives is composed of 435 members; the num- The vice president is selected by members of ber of representatives are determined based on each national political committee and runs on the the population of each state. Missouri is allotted same ticket for the same term as the president. The nine U.S. Representative 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 $162,100 dent. The vice president earns $208,100 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 $162,100 each department. Secretaries are appointed by the annually, plus expenses. president and serve at his pleasure. Cabinet secre- Congress is in session for two years, begin- taries earn $180,100 annually. 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 Mike Johanns, Secretary of Agriculture; Senate also elects a president pro tem of the Sen- Carlos Gutierrez, 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 Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education; power and earns $180,100. The presiding officer of Samuel W. Bodman, Secretary of Energy; the House is called the speaker. The speaker tradi- Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of Health and tionally represents the party in majority and earns Human Services; $208,100. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 105 The United States Capitol, Washington, D.C. Library of Congress 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 $199,200 annually while the chief justice, judges earn $171,800 annually. who leads the court, earns $208,100. 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 $162,100 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- Antonin Scalia, associate justice; souri, contact the Federal Information Center, Anthony M. Kennedy, associate justice; Room 2616 Federal Building, 1520 Market St., David H. Souter, associate justice; St. Louis 63103, phone (toll free) 800-333-4636. Clarence Thomas, associate justice; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, associate justice; Steven G. Breyer, associate justice; Sanrda Day O’Connor, associate justice.* *Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced her retirement on July 1, 2005, and indicated that she will serve until a replacement is confirmed. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died September 3, 2005. At the time of publication, President Bush nominated John G. Roberts, Jr., an appellate judge for the District of Columbia, to succeed Rehn- quist as chief justice and the Senate was considering his confirmation. President Bush had originally nominated Roberts to replace Justice O’Connor, but upon the death of Rehnquist, changed his nomination. A replacement for Justice O’Connor had not been made public. UNITED STATES PRESIDENT 107 George W. Bush United States President GEORGE W. BUSH (Republican) is the 43rd tunity for all Americans. He signed into law tax President of the United States. He was sworn relief that helps workers keep more of their hard- into office on January 20, 2001, re-elected on earned money, as well as the most comprehen- November 2, 2004, and sworn in for a second sive education reforms in a generation, the No term on January 20, 2005. Prior to his Presiden- Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This legislation is cy, President Bush served for 6 years as the 46th ushering in a new era of accountability, flexibil- Governor of the State of Texas, where he earned ity, local control, and more choices for parents, a reputation for bipartisanship and as a compas- affirming our nation’s fundamental belief in the sionate conservative who shaped public policy promise of every child. President Bush has also based on the principles of limited government, worked to improve healthcare and modernize personal responsibility, strong families, and local Medicare, providing the first-ever prescription control. drug benefit for seniors; increase homeowner- President Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in ship, especially among minorities; conserve our New Haven, Connecticut, and grew up in Mid- environment; and increase military strength, pay land and Houston, Texas. He received a bache- and benefits. Because President Bush believes lor’s degree in history from Yale University in the strength of America lies in the hearts and 1968, and then served as an F-102 fighter pilot souls of our citizens, he has supported programs in the Texas Air National Guard. President Bush that encourage individuals to help their neigh- received a Master of Business Administration bors in need. from Harvard Business School in 1975. Follow- On the morning of September 11, 2001, ter- ing graduation, he moved back to Midland and rorists attacked our Nation. Since then, President began a career in the energy business. After Bush has taken unprecedented steps to protect working on his father’s successful 1988 Presi- our homeland and create a world free from ter- dential campaign, President Bush assembled the ror. He is grateful for the service and sacrifice of group of partners who purchased the Texas our brave men and women in uniform and their Rangers baseball franchise in 1989. On Novem- families. The President is confident that by help- ber 8, 1994, President Bush was elected Gover- ing build free and prosperous societies, our nor of Texas. He became the first Governor in Nation and our friends and allies will succeed in Texas history to be elected to consecutive 4-year making America more secure and the world terms when he was re-elected on November 3, more peaceful.