Under the Constitution, the House of Representatives has the power to impeach a government official, in effect serving as prosecutor. The Senate has the sole power to conduct impeachment trials, essentially serving as jury and judge. Since 1789 the Senate has tried 20 federal officials, including three presidents.

Congress has five main functions: lawmaking, representing the people, performing oversight, helping constituents, and educating the public.

The Constitution sets three qualifications for service in the U.S. Senate: age (at least thirty years of age); U.S. citizenship (at least nine years); and residency in the state a senator represents at time of election.

Congress has the power to:

• Make laws.
• Declare war.
• Raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure.
• Impeach and try federal officers.
• Approve presidential appointments.
• Approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch.
• Oversight and investigations.

Article I of the Constitution. Section 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Today, there are four remaining relevant powers denied to Congress in the U.S. Constitution: the Writ of Habeas Corpus, Bills of Attainder and Ex Post Facto Laws, Export Taxes and the Port Preference Clause.

The President has the power either to sign legislation into law or to veto bills enacted by Congress, although Congress may override a veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses.

[The president] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme …

confirmation – Informal term for the Senate giving “Advice and Consent” to a presidential nomination for an executive or judicial position.

The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of the President’s appointments that require consent, and to ratify treaties. If the President vetoes a bill, they may override his veto by passing the bill again in each chamber with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor.

While SES members are primarily career appointees chosen through a merit-based competitive hiring process, others are noncareer, limited term or limited emergency appointees (commonly political appointees) selected by agency leadership. The SES pay structure is distinct from the rest of the civil service.

Under current law, the Senate does not require the commissions of all military officers to be confirmed; however, anyone being first promoted to major in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or lieutenant commander in the Navy, does require such confirmation.

CIVIL OFFICER. The constitution of the United States, art. 2, s. 4, provides, that the president, vice-president, and civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the President, an original appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular Army, Regular Air Force, Regular Navy, or Regular Marine Corps may be made by the Secretary of Defense in the case of a reserve commissioned officer upon the transfer of such officer from …

The president generally must appoint officers, and he or she serves as their ultimate commander. But Congress may assign duties to particular officers, or require that the military operate through prescribed chains of command. Such laws are “Rules for the Government and Regulation” of the military.