United States Federal Government Guide

The Federal Government of the United States of America consist of three branches or divisions. By vesting powers in each of the three branches, a series of checks and balances occur -- whereby no one branch of the government can have total power. The three branches are; the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch. In addition to these powers of these branches, by acts of Congress, several Independent Agencies and Government Corporations have been formed to manage and oversee certain necessary ongoing government functions.

Executive Branch

The executive branch of the federal government consists of the President, Vice President, and Executive Offices of each of the President's Cabinet as well as several Cabinet-rank executive positions.

PHOTO - United States President Barack Obama

Barack Obama
President

PHOTO - Vice President of United States Joseph R. Biden

Joe Biden
Vice President

How to contact the President or Vice President:

There is a contact form on the Whitehouse Website at: www.whitehouse.gov/contact. You can also call or write to the President at:

write to:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Whitehouse Phone Numbers:
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

Executive (Cabinet Level) Departments

Other Cabinet-rank Executive positions:

Legislative Branch

The United States Congress primary function is to make laws. Congress is comprised of two legislative bodies, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The two bodies were established to be sure that the states and the people were equally represented. Each state elects exactly two Senators, but the total number of State Representatives in the House is determined by each state's population, (based on US Census figures and state determined Congressional districts).

Citizens of the State of Massachusetts are represented in the Federal Government by (2) U.S. Senators and (10) Congressmen. The citizens of Framingham, MA elect, and are represented by a Congressman for the 7th Congressional District [of Massachusetts]. The 7th district includes the cities and towns of Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Framingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Revere, Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Weston, Winchester, Winthrop and Woburn, MA.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)

Boston Office:
One Bowdoin Square
Tenth Floor
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 565-8519 - Phone
(617) 248-3870 - Fax

Washington DC Office:
Senator John Kerry
218 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2742
Fax: (202) 224-8525
http://kerry.senate.gov
Email

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)

Boston Office:
2400 JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565-3170

Washington DC Office:
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4543
Fax: (202) 228-2646
http://scottbrown.senate.gov
Email

Rep. Ed Markey(D-Mass.)

Framingham Office
188 Concord Street Suite 102
Framingham, MA 01702
508-875-2900

Web: http://markey.house.gov/

Washington, D.C. Office:
2108 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-2836

All MA Congressmen: (by district):

District	Representatives
1st	John W. Olver
2nd	Richard E. Neal
3rd	James P. McGovern
4th	Barney Frank
5th	Niki Tsongas
6th	John F. Tierney
7th	Edward J. Markey
8th	Michael E. Capuano
9th	Stephen F. Lynch
10th	Bill Delahunt

Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court of the United States is comprised of nine Supreme Court Justices, (one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices).

As provided in Article III, Section 1, of the Constitution of the United States, "the judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court". The Constitution then describes a system of inferior (state) courts, and defines the specific powers and jurisdiction of the Court, and Congress' job of establishing up the Court.