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Did you know that only one out of every 7 bills introduced in the US Congress becomes law? Making law requires a lot of time and energy from people working with the legislative system. Let us study an article in which a United States Senator explains the organisation of an American legal system.
Czy wiesz, że tylko co siódmy wprowadzony pod obrady amerykańskiego Kongresu projekt ustawy staje się prawem? Tworzenie prawa wymaga dużo czasu i energii osób pracujących z systemem legislacyjnym. Przestudiujmy artykuł w którym amerykański senator wyjaśnia jak zorganizowany jest system prawny Stanów Zjednoczonych.
Read the text and do the exercises below.
How the Law is Made, Enforced, and Interpreted in the USAs the United States Senator, I have the honour tohave the honour to take part intake part in the works of our country’s legal systemlegal system. It is unique in the world, and I believe that many countries could learn a lot about democracy from it. You must remember that our legal system is based on the ConstitutionConstitution which was written in 1787. The Constitution includes basic principlesprinciples of our government. One of the most important rules is the separation of powersseparation of powers between the legislativelegislative, executiveexecutive, and judiciaryjudiciary branches. Each of these branches has its own roles and responsibilities.
The legislative branch is all about how we make new laws here in the USA. The process takes place in CongressCongress, which consists of two chamberschambers: the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives and the SenateSenate, the member of which I am. A proposal of a new lawproposal of a new law can come from a couple of different sources - a member of Congress, a group of citizens, or the President. Before such a proposal becomes the law, it has to go through a series of steps. First, it is reviewed and debated by experts in special committeescommittees. They can propose amendmentsamendments, which is another word for changes, in the original document.
Then the proposal is sent to Congress for votingvoting. If it is passed by both the House of Representatives and Senate, it goes to the President, who can signsign or vetoveto it. If the President signs the proposal, it becomes the law. If the President vetoes it, the proposal goes back to Congress. Congress can actually overrideoverride the veto, which means cancel or ignore it, if two‑thirds of all the Congressmen and Senators vote in favour ofin favour of the proposal.
Once a law becomes the reality, the judiciary branch starts to be responsible for interpreting it and settling any disputessettling any disputes, that is questions or controversies, connected with it. There are federalfederal and state courtsstate courts to look into caseslook into cases which people bring to them. There is also the Supreme CourtSupreme Court, which is the highest court in the country. When a case is brought before a court, the judge or jury investigateinvestigate the facts and apply the lawapply the law to them. A very important principle of our legal system is the fact that everybody has the right to fair treatment under the law.has the right to fair treatment under the law. In practice it means that every individual has the right to a fair trialfair trial, to have an attorneyattorney to represent them, and the right to appealappeal if they don’t agree with the court’s decision.
No system is perfect, but I am very proud ofproud of how we make and use the law in the US. I also believe that it is very important for every citizen to learn how the system works and what rights and dutiesduties it puts on us.
Źródło: Anna Posyniak‑Dutka, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
Answer each question in 1–2 sentences.
What is the role of the President in the process of making new laws?
What rights does the American legal system give to every citizen?
Słownik
/ əˈmendmənts / / əˈmendmənt /
poprawki [poprawka]
/ əˈpiːl /
złożyć apelację
/ əˈplaɪ ðə lɔː /
stosować prawo
/ əˈtɜːni /
(AmE) adwokat/adwokatka, prawnik/prawniczka
/ bi 'praʊd ɒv /
być dumnym/dumną z
/bɪl/
projekt ustawy
/ ˈtʃeɪmbəz / / ˈtʃeɪmbə /
izby [izba]
/ ˈsɪtɪzən /
obywatel/obywatelka
/ kəˈmɪtɪz / / kəˈmɪti /
komisje [komisja]
/ ˈkɒŋɡres /
Kongres
/ ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃn̩ /
konstytucja
/ ˈdjuːtɪz / / ˈdjuːti /
obowiązki [obowiązek]
/ ɪnˈfɔːs /
wprowadzać
/ ɪɡˈzekjʊtɪv brɑːntʃ /
gałąź wykonawcza
/ feə ˈtraɪəl /
sprawiedliwy proces
/ ˈfedərəl kɔːts / / ˈfedərəl kɔːt /
sądy federalne [sąd federalny]
/ ˈhæz ðə ˈraɪt tu feə ˈtriːtmənt ʌndə ðə lɔː /
mieć prawo do sprawiedliwego traktowania w świetle prawa
/ həv ði ˈɒnə tuː /
mieć zaszczyt robić coś
/ haʊz əv ˌreprɪˈzentətɪvz /
Izba Reprezentantów
/ ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv /
za
/ ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt /
prowadzić dochodzenie
/ dʒuːˈdɪʃəri brɑːntʃ /
gałąź sądownicza
/ ˈliːɡl̩ ˈsɪstəm /
system prawny
/ ˈledʒɪslətɪv brɑːntʃ /
gałąź ustawodawcza
/ ˈlʊk ˈɪntə ˈkeɪsɪz / / ˈlʊk ˈɪntə ə keɪs /
badać sprawy [badać sprawę]
/ ˌəʊvəˈraɪd /
uchylić
/ ˈprɪnsəpl̩z / / ˈprɪnsəpl̩ /
zasady [zasada]
/ prəˈpəʊzl̩ əv ə ˈnju: lɔː /
propozycja nowego prawa
/ ˈsenɪt /
Senat
/ ˌsepəˈreɪʃn̩ əv ˈpaʊəz /
rozdział władzy
/ ˈsetl̩ɪŋ ˈeni dɪˈspjuːts / / ˈsetl̩ ə dɪˈspjuːt /
rozwiązywać spory [rozwiązać spór]
/ saɪn /
podpisać
/ steɪt kɔːts / / steɪt kɔːt /
sądy stanowe [sąd stanowy]
/ suːˈpriːm kɔːt /
Sąd Najwyższy
/ ˈteɪk pɑ:t ɪn /
brać udział w
/ ˈviːtəʊ /
zawetować
/ ˈvəʊtɪŋ / / vəʊt /
głosowanie [głosować]
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY‑SA 3.0