Institute:Office of National Coordinator (ONC) Workforce Training Curriculum
Component:Introduction to Health Care and Public Health in the U.S.
Unit:Regulating Health Care
Lecture:Branches of Government and the Configuration of the U.S. Judicial System
Slide content:Balance of Power Separation of powers Three branches of government Designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful Checks and balances Legislative branch makes laws Executive branch enforces laws Judicial branch interprets laws 6
Slide notes:The division of the government into three branches is known as the separation of powers. Each branch has separate and independent areas of responsibility, which is one way the U.S. Constitution ensures that no single branch becomes too powerful. Another way of balancing power is the concept of checks and balances. For example, the President can veto an act of Congress, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote. Another example is that a court can invalidate a statute or regulation that it finds to be outside the constitutional authority of one of the other government branches. The Constitution gives each branch many other ways to limit the power of the other branches. 6