Explain the process of removing a president from office. What role does the House of Representatives play? What role does the Senate play?
The process of removing a president from office in the United States is known as impeachment. The House of Representatives initiates the process by drafting and passing articles of impeachment, which make specific allegations of wrongdoing against the president. These articles of impeachment must be passed by a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives.
Once the articles of impeachment are passed in the House, the Senate holds a trial to determine whether or not the president is guilty of the charges. The Chief Justice of the United States presides over the trial, and the Senators act as the jury. In order to convict the president, a two-thirds majority vote is required in the Senate.
If the president is convicted, he or she is removed from office and may also be barred from holding any future federal office. The Senate may also choose to disqualify the president from receiving any further benefits of the office, such as a pension or other allowances.
It is important to note that impeachment is a rare and significant process, with only two presidents in U.S. history having been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. Neither was convicted and removed from office. Most recently, Donald J. Trump was also impeached, but was not convicted in the Senate trial.