<Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> WhiteHouse.gov </Td> </Tr> <P> The Vice President of the United States (informally referred to as VPOTUS, or Veep) is a constitutional officer in the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States as the President of the Senate under Article One, Section Three of the U.S. Constitution . </P> <P> The vice president is a statutory member of the National Security Council under the National Security Act of 1947, and through the 25th Amendment is the highest - ranking official in the presidential line of succession in the executive branch of the federal government . The executive power of both the vice president and the president is granted under Article Two, Section One of the Constitution . The vice president is indirectly elected, together with the president, to a four - year term of office by the people of the United States through the Electoral College . The Office of the Vice President of the United States assists and organizes the vice president's official functions . </P> <P> As the president of the United States Senate, the vice president votes only when it is necessary to break a tie . While Senate customs have created supermajority rules that have diminished this constitutional tie - breaking authority, the vice president still retains the ability to influence legislation; for example, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 was passed in the Senate by a tie - breaking vice presidential vote . </P>

Vice president role as president of the senate