Congress serves as a check on the activities of the bureaucracy. Congress oversees the bureaucracy in a number of ways.
1) Duplication - Congress rarely gives any one job to a single agency. For example, drug trafficking is the task of the Customs Services, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Border Patrol, and the Defense Department. Although this spreading out of the responsibility often leads to contradictions among agencies and sometimes inhibits the responsiveness of government, it also keeps any one agency from becoming all powerful.
2) Authorization - No agency may spend money unless it has first been authorized by Congress. Authorization legislation originates in a legislative committee, and states the maximum amount of money that an agency may spend on a given program. Furthermore, even if funds have been authorized, Congress must also appropriate the money. An appropriation is money formally set aside for a specific use, and it usually is less than the amount authorized. The Appropriations Committees in both houses of Congress must divide all available money among the agencies, and almost always they cut agency budgets from the levels authorized.
3) Hearings - Congressional committees may hold hearings as part of their oversight responsibilities. Agency abuses may be questioned publicly, although the committee holding the hearings typically has the oversight responsibility, so a weak agency may reflect weak oversight.
4) Rewriting legislation - If they wish to restrict the power of an agency, Congress may rewrite legislation or make it more detailed. Every statute is filled with instructions to its administrators, the more detailed the instructions, the better able Congress is to restrict the agency's power. Still, an agency usually finds a way to influence the policy, no matter how detailed the orders of Congress.
Congress was regarded by the founding fathers as the strongest branch of government for a number of reasons, two of which are important to answer this question: First, because the constitution is one of limited powers, meaning that the federal government is allowed to do something ONLY if the constitution says it can. Second, because Congress has "the power of the purse."
The first is important because it means that that the President has access to limited power to act, unless he acts with congress's permission. If the President acts in ways that displease congress, they can revoke his power to acts.
The second is important because the federal government can do nothing without funding, and Congress has explicit constitutional power over the executive branch's budget.
Also, because I assume this question was asked by someone looking to do homework, I'll add that Congress can overcome the president's veto power by a 2/3 majority vote. Teachers always think that is important to checks and balances, but the reality is that any legal scholar will tell you that it pales in comparison to the importance of the issues listed above.
The President can "veto" any bill proposal from congress, thus stopping it from becoming law. Likewise, presidential proposals that cannot pass the senate or congressional support will not be made law. As long as the 3 federal levels don't obtain so much power as to supersede the other 2, the balance of power is more or less equal between the three.
There is one primary way in which the president of the United States can check Congress. This power provided to the president is the ability to veto bills that Congress votes on and passes.
By OVERRiDiNg a pRESiDENt'S VEtO
good job
power of the president to issue executive orders; originates from the constitution and acts of congress
The President and Congress create laws. The President can create an idea, but he has to put it through Congress before it is made. The majority of the congress has to agree with the law before it is passed. The President can also veto, or disapprove, law ideas that the Congress creates. But that veto can be jumped by 2/3 vote of congress.
The President can't declare war because in the Constitution that power is given to the Congress as part of the checks and balances system.No.No. It is Congress who can but hasn't since World War II and meekly approve Presidential "actions" of one sort or another and it is the President as the Commander in Chief who can send armies into "action".No it first congress has to pass the bill then it goes to the president to sigh. The President can ask congress to declare war, but he can't declare war congress only can.
The decisions of the courts and the way they interpret laws may influence Congress and the President. Trends of cases may influence the writing of new laws.
President
A President can veto an Act of Congress.
the president can veto acts of congress
The President checks Congress when he vetoes a bill
They can declare executive acts unconstitutional
The president can veto bills.
Supreme Court
To carry out the acts of Congress there must first be a vote of majority in Congress. Then, the President of the United States must sign the bill into a law.
the president has the power to check congress through thepower of vetoing legislation that comes to his desk.
congress passed the acts over his veto
The President cannot unilaterally declare war without the consent of Congress. The President has to present evidence to Congress that a war would be necessary and legal. Thus Congress acts to check the President's power.
Laws are acts that are signed by the president of passed by Congress over his veto.
He/she can veto any legislation that congress passes.