Deck 9: Congress and Interbranch Politics

Question 1

Conventional wisdom often casts the president as ______ of foreign policy, whereas Congress is cast as ______.

A) the decider; uninterested
B) uninterested; the decider
C) deferential; compliant
D) compliant; deferential

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following foreign policy powers of the president is spelled out in the US Constitution?

A) power to regulate commerce with the foreign nations
B) power to receive foreign dignitaries
C) power to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces
D) power to suppress insurrections

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following foreign powers of Congress is spelled out in the US Constitution?

A) power to receive foreign dignitaries
B) power to make treaties
C) power to commission military officers
D) power to provide for the common defense and general welfare

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Key diplomatic powers of the president are subject to the advice and consent of ______.

A) the public
B) the House
C) the Senate
D) the States

Question 5

Which of the following is an example in which the president can check the Congress?

A) the president can deem laws unconstitutional
B) the president can declare war
C) the president can veto laws
D) the president can make treaties

Question 6

Which of the following is an example in which the Congress can check the president?

A) the Congress can deem laws unconstitutional
B) the House can override vetoes
C) the Senate must provide its advice and consent of appointments
D) the Congress may pass bills

Question 7

Determining the constitutionality of a law or action is known as ______.

A) advice and consent
B) veto
C) judicial review
D) filibuster

Question 8

The power of judicial review rests in which of the following?

A) the presidency
B) the legislature
C) the states
D) the courts

Question 9

In foreign policy, the Supreme Court tends to rule in favor of ______.

A) the Congress
B) the people
C) the president
D) the states

Question 10

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court uphold a congressional grant of authority to the president to prevent the sale of arms to belligerents and ruled generally in favor of national governmental and presidential supremacy in foreign policy?

A) United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp (1936)
B) Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer Case (1962)
C) Crockett v. Reagan (1981)
D) Campbell v. Clinton (1999)

Question 11

The courts have strengthened the power of the president, in part, by determining that ______ have the same force as treaties.

A) presidential memoranda
B) executive agreements
C) presidential statements
D) state of the union addresses

Question 12

In which of the following cases did the Congress challenge the presidential administration's power to send military advisors into El Salvador?

A) Dellums v. Bush (1990)
B) Campbell v. Clinton (1999)
C) Lowry v. Reagan (1987)
D) Crockett v. Reagan (1981)

Question 13

Which of the following congressional tools was affected by the Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha (1983) case?

A) power to declare war
B) legislative veto
C) advice and consent
D) power to impeach

Question 14

The right of the executive branch to withhold information from Congress and the public is referred to as ______.

A) implied consent
B) presidential immunity
C) judicial review
D) executive privilege

Question 15

Which of the following is considered a legislative action?

A) determine the constitutionality of laws
B) create budgets
C) make treaties
D) authorize and appropriate funds

Question 16

When members take direct action ______.

A) they look at the policy climate to signal preferences
B) they look at the policy process
C) they target specific foreign policy issues
D) they take aim at the broader context

Question 17

When members of Congress accede to the administration's request, their behavior is considered to be ______.

A) compliant
B) resistant
C) independent
D) rejection

Question 18

When members modify the administration's request, delivering a result either more or less than the administration desired, their behavior is considered ______.

A) compliant
B) resistant
C) independent
D) rejection

Question 19

______ behavior is when Congress flatly refuses to enact the administration's desires.

A) Compliant
B) Resistant
C) Independent
D) Rejection

Question 20

When members of Congress go beyond reacting to the administration's policy requests and proposals and choose to enact their own foreign policy agenda, their behavior is considered ______.

A) compliant
B) resistant
C) independent
D) rejection

Question 21

After Vietnam, congressional ______ sharply fell.

A) resistance
B) compliance
C) rejection
D) independence

Question 22

In the post-Cold War period, Congress became more ______ in its foreign policy actions.

A) compliant
B) rejection
C) resistant
D) independent

Question 23

Initial signs of re-assertiveness by Congress after World War II quickly gave way to ______.

A) antagonism
B) acquiescence
C) accommodation
D) awakening

Question 24

The height of bipartisanship took place during which of the following periods?

A) congressional antagonism
B) congressional acquiescence
C) congressional accommodation
D) congressional awakening

Question 25

McCarthyism, which fueled anticommunism, took place during which of the following periods?

A) congressional antagonism
B) congressional acquiescence
C) congressional accommodation
D) congressional awakening

Question 26

Which of the following has been the factor most responsible for the growth of presidential power and the straining of relations between Congress and the president?

A) the power of oversight and investigation
B) the power to appropriate funds to make laws
C) advice and consent
D) the war powers

Question 27

Which of the following has the constitutional authority to advise the president on and consent to his appointments and treaties?

A) Senate
B) cabinet heads
C) Supreme Court
D) House

Question 28

Linked directly to the legislative process is the power of ______.

A) advice and consent
B) war
C) congressional oversight
D) the purse

Question 29

Which of the following represents the ultimate means by which Congress may exercise its constitutional role?

A) advice and consent
B) veto
C) oversight
D) fund appropriation

Question 30

Which type of oversight provides numerous opportunities for watchdog activities?

A) regular
B) crisis-driven
C) event-driven
D) they all provide opportunities

Question 31

Which of the following types of oversight increased during the Vietnam War?

A) event-driven
B) regular
C) crisis-driven
D) they all increased

Question 32

According to the authors, which of the following has become the norm for Washington, DC?

A) polarization
B) bipartisanship
C) politicization
D) divided government

Question 33

When is Congress more likely to defer to the president's policy preferences?

A) when debates focus on national threats and priorities
B) during times of peace
C) when the political debate over threat is less salient
D) in periods of stability

Question 34

The 1969 National Commitments Act and the 1972 Case Act required the president to report all agreements within ______ days of their completion.

A) 30
B) 60
C) 90
D) 120

Question 35

Which of the following has always been the greatest strength of the legislative branch?

A) advice and consent
B) war powers
C) power to appropriate funds
D) power of the purse and to make laws

Question 36

Which of the following processes actually provides the money for programs?

A) approval
B) authorization
C) budgetary
D) appropriation

Question 37

What are the keys to legislative success?

A) divided government and polarization
B) bargain and compromise
C) collaboration and commitment
D) independence and assertiveness

Question 38

Event-driven oversight is tied to ______.

A) authorization and appropriation cycles
B) policy agendas and issues
C) major policy failures
D) scandals

Question 39

Watch dog activities are associated with which of the following?

A) advice and consent
B) power of the purse
C) war powers
D) power of oversight and investigation

Question 40

Which of the following is considered the investigative arm of Congress and engaged in oversight of the executive branch?

A) Congressional Research Service (CRS)
B) Government Accountability Office (GAO)
C) Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
D) Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Question 41

There is no foreign policy power provided to the president that is not shared by Congress.

Question 42

Throughout the cold war years of the 1950s and 1960s, both the House and Senate were dominated by southerners, members of the Democratic Party, and political conservatives.

Question 43

Both treaties and executive agreements require Senatorial advice and consent.

Question 44

During times of peace, power tends to flow back to Congress.

Question 45

Why is the separation of powers considered an "invitation to struggle"? Provide an example.

Question 46

Explain the avenues of influence.

Question 47

Historically, what has been the distribution of foreign policymaking power between Congress and the president?

Question 48

What are the three central requirements of the War Powers Act?

Question 49

Identify and discuss the principal elements that support the continuation of an active congressional role in the foreign policymaking process.