Duties of the president written into Constitution
In a recent conversation among Akron-area residents about the upcoming election, there were repeated requests for a description of the president’s duties.
Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution, Sections 2 and 3, describe the duties. The president does the following:
• Acts as commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces and of the state militia when called into national service.
• May require reports from the heads of each of the executive departments.
• Has power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.
• With advice and consent of the Senate, makes treaties, nominates and appoints ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other federal officers established by law. Congress also may vest the appointment of other officers, as they think proper, in the president.
• From time to time delivers to Congress information on the state of the union.
• Makes legislative recommendations to Congress.
• May call both houses of Congress into session under extraordinary circumstances.
• Acts as head of state in meeting with ambassadors of other nations.
• Enforces and executes federal laws.
• Commissions all officers of the country.
The question about presidential duties came from a three-day event at the University of Akron, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and facilitated by the Jefferson Center for the Your Vote Ohio project and the Beacon Journal.
Want more information on the U.S. Constitution?
The National Archives, www.archives.gov.
SparkNotes, a website for students, offers interpretation of the duties. www.sparknotes.com.
Visit Your Vote Ohio on Facebook and Twitter, or the www.yourvoteohio.org page.