Ex.7 Compare the system of state power in Ukraine and in the USA

READING DRILLS

Practise the pronunciation of the following words:

1) Stress the first syllable:

source, office, case, agency, grant, Congress, Senate, debt, census, coin

2) Stress the second syllable:

extensive, advisory, commerce, affairs, maintain

3) Stress the third syllable:

r epresentative,parliamentary, ceremonial, oversee

TEXT B

An extensive advisory system serves the president. The President's cabinet also serves as a source of information and advice. It consists of the heads of the governmental departments and a few other officials, such as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (UN). The cabinet has no power of its own.

All legislative powers granted by the Constitution in Article 1 are exercised by the Congress of the United States. Congress consists of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate contains 100 senators, two representing each state — a provision of the Constitution not subject to amendment. The 435 members of the Hou­se are elected by the different states on the basis of their population at the most recent U.S. census. Every two years all 435 members of the House are elected, and one-third of the senators.

Congress has extensive powers in domestic affairs, including the power to tax, borrow money and pay debts, coin money and regulate its value, and regulate commerce among the states. Congress helps to establish and oversees the departments and agencies of the executive branch; it also esta­blishes the lower federal courts and determines their jurisdiction. Congress has the power to declare war, raise and maintain the armed forces, establish tariffs, and regulate commerce with foreign nations.

The legislative branch also includes agencies such as the Con­gressional Budget Office, the General Accounting Office, the Library of Congress, and the Government Printing Office.