Deck 13: Congress

Question 1

A congressional caucus convenes regularly to discuss common interests and consists of which of the following?

A) Only House members
B) Only Senate members
C) Both House and Senate members
D) Only House leadership

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The conference committee is critical because

A) it allows the House and Senate to work out a compromise on a particular piece of legislation.
B) it is the first step in the bill-passage process.
C) it is where filibusters occur.
D) it is a permanent group of House and Senate members.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

All of the following congressional powers can be found in Article 1, Section 8, except

A) legal powers.
B) financial powers.
C) administrative powers.
D) national defense powers.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A president needs congressional cooperation primarily to

A) advance executive policies.
B) debate public policy.
C) use the veto process.
D) limit executive decision making.

Question 5

A House member represents a district of about

A) 300,000 people.
B) 100,000 people.
C) 1 million people.
D) 730,000 people.

Question 6

Mark Twain's comment that "every senator is a little king" suggests that

A) senators have unlimited power.
B) most senators have life terms.
C) senators possess a remarkable degree of autonomy compared with House members.
D) senators are generally viewed as demagogues.

Question 7

A filibuster is a power unique to the

A) House.
B) Senate.
C) House and Senate.
D) presidency.

Question 8

A filibuster can only be stopped by a process called

A) logrolling.
B) franking.
C) cloture.
D) pork barreling.

Question 9

Congress went from most powerful to increasingly deferential to the White House in the

A) middle of the twentieth century.
B) early twentieth century.
C) late twentieth century.
D) twenty-first century.

Question 10

Today, diversity is represented in which of the following?

A) Both the House and the Senate
B) The House more than the Senate
C) The Senate more than the House
D) Neither the House nor the Senate

Question 11

The idea of diverse representation can be clearly seen in

A) the diversity of House members.
B) the emergence of the Congressional Black Caucus in the House.
C) the number of women in the Senate.
D) the number of minorities in the Senate.

Question 12

Why is the idea of diverse representation important?

A) It addresses the challenges of popular preference.
B) It allows various constituent interests to be represented.
C) It tempers the idea of one group dominating all others.
D) All of the above

Question 13

Congressional members must provide various levels of representation, which include all of the following except

A) geographic representation.
B) descriptive representation.
C) substantive representation.
D) procedural representation.

Question 14

Besides enacting legislation, we would expect members of Congress to spend a significant amount of time

A) fundraising.
B) attending ceremonial events.
C) attending conventions.
D) meeting with constituents and staff.

Question 15

A congressional caucus may share which of the following?

A) Political outlook
B) Race
C) Gender
D) All of the above

Question 16

The first woman elected to the House was elected in

A) 1914.
B) 1916.
C) 1918.
D) 1920.

Question 17

The reason congressional members should return frequently to their districts or states is the need to

A) win elections.
B) take advantage of their franking privileges.
C) promote the president's agenda.
D) seek new challengers.

Question 18

With respect to Congress, the term City on the Hill usually refers to the idea that

A) the Capitol building is built on a hill.
B) the Capitol building is the heart of a small city.
C) passing legislation is an uphill struggle.
D) congressional salaries are equal to most CEO salaries.

Question 19

Today, a congressional salary is approximately

A) $90,000.
B) equal to the that of the president.
C) equal to that of the average NBA player.
D) $174,000.

Question 20

The idea that a bill is packed with benefits for constituents in a particular district is often known on Capitol Hill as

A) a Christmas tree.
B) lucky funding.
C) logrolling.
D) gerrymandering.

Question 21

Someone hoping to enact landmark legislation is sometimes referred to as a

A) demagogue.
B) whale.
C) minnow.
D) shark.

Question 22

A member of Congress who lacks the capacity to promote significant reform might be referred to as a

A) bass.
B) minnow.
C) darter.
D) whale.

Question 23

Which has the power to impeach the president?

A) The Supreme Court
B) The cabinet
C) The House of Representatives
D) The Senate

Question 24

After the president is impeached, the trial is held in the

A) White House.
B) Senate.
C) Supreme Court.
D) House of Representatives.

Question 25

A central function of the Speaker of the House is to

A) settle all debates.
B) control which issues reach the floor.
C) compromise on key issues.
D) make sure all proposed legislation goes to the president.

Question 26

The second in command in the House is known as the

A) minority leader.
B) majority leader.
C) majority whip.
D) minority whip.

Question 27

Party discipline would most likely be achieved by

A) the Speaker of the House.
B) the majority leader.
C) the majority whip.
D) the minority leader.

Question 28

The position held by the majority party senator with the longest Senate service is known as

A) the vice presidency.
B) the president pro tempore.
C) the majority leader.
D) the majority whip.

Question 29

The only person who can break a tie in the Senate is the

A) vice president.
B) president pro tempore.
C) majority leader.
D) majority whip.

Question 30

The greatest concern about proposed legislation is that

A) it will pass.
B) it will die in a committee.
C) it will develop into an entirely different piece of legislation.
D) it will not be debated.

Question 31

A _______ committee is a permanent committee in Congress.

A) select
B) standing
C) conference
D) social

Question 32

Special committees are often referred to as _______ committees.

A) select
B) standing
C) investigative
D) social

Question 33

A committee comprising both House and Senate members is often referred to as a _______ committee.

A) reserved
B) joint
C) ways and means
D) investigative

Question 34

Committees are central to Congress because

A) they create more jobs for staffers.
B) they allow congressional members to specialize in particular issues.
C) they were mandated by Congress.
D) they allow for easier passage of legislation.

Question 35

The Ways and Means Committee is a permanent committee of the

A) House.
B) Senate.
C) House and Senate.
D) executive branch.

Question 36

If you were a House member, one of your goals would be to secure which of the following?

A) Earmarks
B) More franking privileges
C) Greater authority
D) More meetings with the Speaker

Question 37

There are _______ members in Congress.

A) 435
B) 535
C) more than 1,000
D) 270

Question 38

The main responsibility of Congress is which of the following?

A) To enact legislation
B) To promote hiring
C) To check the president
D) To allow for greater spending

Question 39

Who can introduce legislation?

A) Only House members
B) Only Senate members
C) Both House and Senate members
D) Only senior House and Senate members

Question 40

How many sponsors are needed for a bill?

A) Twelve
B) Three
C) One
D) Seven

Question 41

The more cosponsors a bill has, the

A) higher the likelihood of passage.
B) lower the likelihood of passage.
C) more time allowed for debate.
D) higher the placement on the calendar.

Question 42

Major rewrites of a bill occur in the

A) conference committee.
B) subcommittee.
C) markup sessions.
D) Judiciary Committee.

Question 43

Most proposed legislation

A) becomes law.
B) does not become law.
C) is debated endlessly in the House.
D) is debated endlessly in the Senate.

Question 44

A key legislative reform of the 1970s mandated that

A) all proposed legislation be voted on.
B) all committees keep full records of important votes.
C) all critical legislation be debated.
D) all legislation move to the conference committee.

Question 45

In order for a bill to reach the Senate floor, it must have

A) strong public backing.
B) unanimous consent.
C) the president's approval.
D) the Speaker's approval.

Question 46

How many Senate votes does it take to put a bill on hold?

A) None; bills cannot be put on hold
B) One
C) Three
D) Five

Question 47

The Senate seeks to lift a legislative hold through the process of

A) logrolling.
B) gerrymandering.
C) franking.
D) cloture.

Question 48

Noncontroversial bills are voted up or down by a

A) voice vote.
B) conference vote.
C) roll call vote.
D) cloture vote.

Question 49

On more controversial issues, a _______ is required.

A) voice vote
B) roll call vote
C) committee vote
D) conference vote

Question 50

There are _______ nonvoting delegates in Congress.

A) four
B) three
C) zero
D) six

Question 51

All nonvoting delegates serve _______ terms.

A) one-year
B) two-year
C) three-year
D) four-year

Question 52

Congress is like a small city because it includes

A) 541 members.
B) 22,000 staff members.
C) numerous lobbyists.
D) all of the above.

Question 53

Congressional committees aid and _______ the legislative process.

A) improve
B) fragment
C) redirect
D) rectify

Question 54

What percentage of bills become law?

A) 3 percent
B) 12 percent
C) 17 percent
D) 48 percent

Question 55

House-Senate conferences are aimed at yielding a(n)

A) single version of a bill.
B) bill the president will sign.
C) annotated bill.
D) cheaper version of the bill.

Question 56

The House and Senate versions of a bill must be _______ before the bill goes to the president.

A) similar
B) identical
C) different
D) complex

Question 57

A bill most likely will falter after it leaves the conference committee because

A) the president could veto it.
B) the president could invoke cloture.
C) a Senate member could filibuster.
D) unanimous votes are required.

Question 58

To overcome a presidential veto, Congress needs

A) two-thirds approval of the House.
B) three-quarters approval of the Senate.
C) two-thirds approval of the House and Senate.
D) four-fifths approval of the House and Senate.

Question 59

How many Senators does it take to override a veto?

A) Fifty-seven
B) Sixty-seven
C) Seventy-seven
D) Eighty-seven

Question 60

All budget measures must begin in the

A) conference committee.
B) House.
C) Senate.
D) House or Senate.

Question 61

Impeachment proceedings begin in

A) the House.
B) the Senate.
C) a subcommittee.
D) a standing committee.

Question 62

Prior to 1913, the _______ was elected directly by the public.

A) Senate
B) House
C) president
D) Supreme Court

Question 63

A system to remove public officials because they have committed high crimes and misdemeanors is known as

A) an indictment.
B) an impeachment.
C) an arraignment.
D) an oversight.

Question 64

To approve a treaty, the Senate must reach a _______ decision.

A) simple majority
B) three-fifths
C) two-thirds
D) unanimous

Question 65

The Senate can do all of the following except

A) ratify treaties.
B) review presidential appointees.
C) introduce monetary measures.
D) use the filibuster.

Question 66

It can be inferred that House and Senate power is

A) roughly equal.
B) increasing.
C) more tilted toward the Senate.
D) more tilted toward the House.

Question 67

The Senate has sole power to review

A) budget legislation.
B) presidential nominations.
C) infrastructure laws.
D) health care concerns.

Question 68

Senate terms last _______ years.

A) four
B) two
C) three
D) six

Question 69

The 2020-2021 Congress is the

A) 116^th Congress.
B) 117th Congress.
C) 118^th Congress.
D) 119^th Congress.

Question 70

The power to pass legislation remains with

A) the president.
B) Congress.
C) the House of Representatives only.
D) the Senate only.

Question 71

A bill goes to the floor for

A) the final debate.
B) signatures.
C) a filibuster.
D) printing.

Question 72

A senator who dislikes the president's actions can place a legislative _______ on all legislation the president supports.

A) veto
B) hold
C) enjoinder
D) clarification

Question 73

The "People's Branch" is otherwise referred to as

A) the House.
B) the Senate.
C) Congress.
D) the courts.

Question 74

The Constitution places which branch of government at the center of American government?

A) Congress
B) Executive branch
C) Judicial branch
D) Bureaucracy

Question 75

Reasons for lack of congressional action center on

A) congressional salaries.
B) the work commitment of members of Congress.
C) partisan fighting and gridlock.
D) Congress's lack of diversity.

Question 76

During the 1950s and 1960s, the Senate was mostly controlled by the

A) Democrats.
B) Republicans.
C) Libertarians.
D) Socialists.

Question 77

The percentage of members who voted with their party majority was _______ before 1990.

A) 65%
B) 90%
C) 38%
D) 52%

Question 78

Since 1990, congressional members have voted _______ along party lines.

A) 75 percent
B) 65 percent
C) 90 percent
D) 100 percent

Question 79

The situation in which the presidency and at least one of the two chambers of Congress are controlled by different parties is referred to as

A) a divided government.
B) a subdued government.
C) an open government.
D) a bifurcated government.

Question 80

Detailed accounting of legislative organization and authority is found in which part of the Constitution?

A) Article 1
B) Article 2
C) Article 3
D) Article 4