Question 1

When members of Congress wait until there is a crisis before taking action in addressing problems in the bureaucracy, they are engaged in:

Accepted Answer

Fire alarm oversight is when Congress only takes action after a crisis or scandal has occurred, rather than continuously monitoring and addressing problems within the bureaucracy through police patrol oversight. This type of oversight is a reactive approach and is not considered as effective as proactive monitoring. Therefore, A) fire alarm oversight is the best choice for this scenario.

Question 2

What is a filibuster?

Accepted Answer

A filibuster is a senator's attempt to kill a bill by continuing to speak in order to prevent a vote. The senator may speak for long periods of time and read irrelevant content to waste time and prevent a vote on the bill. The tactic is often used by the minority party to prevent a bill from passing when they do not have enough votes to block it through ordinary legislative means.

Question 3

All of the following describe omnibus legislation EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Omnibus legislation typically does not require a supermajority for passage in both houses. The other options are common characteristics of omnibus legislation.

Question 4

A vote of cloture requires approval by how many senators?

Accepted Answer

A vote of cloture requires approval from 60 Senators. This means that if 60 Senators vote in favor of ending debate, the Senate can move forward to a vote on the measure being debated.

Question 5

Many states have laws that mandate ________, preventing people from serving in the legislature for more than a certain number of years.

Accepted Answer

The term 'mandate' in the question suggests that the correct answer would be a law or regulation imposed by the state. Out of the given options, only term limits refer to such a law that restricts the number of years a person can serve in the legislature. Gerrymandering, cloture, oversight, and filibusters are all related to procedural rules in the legislative process and do not impose any legal restriction on a person's tenure in the legislature. Therefore, the correct choice is D) term limits.

Question 6

Congress passes a bill banning the use of cell phones while driving. The bill passes both chambers in the last week before the session ends for the year. The president does not sign the bill and because of this it does not become a law. This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes a pocket veto, which occurs when the president does not sign a bill into law within 10 days of receiving it and Congress is not in session to override the veto. The bill passes both chambers, indicating that there was no filibuster, omnibus bill, or fire alarm oversight tactic involved. The president's lack of action constitutes a pocket veto, rather than a regular veto (which would involve the president actively rejecting the bill by sending it back to Congress).

Question 7

When a bill comes to the floor of the House under ________, it cannot be amended.

Accepted Answer

A closed rule is a rule that places limits on the amount or type of amendments that can be made to a particular bill. Under a closed rule, no amendments are allowed, meaning that the bill must be voted on and passed as-is, without any changes or modifications.

Question 8

Term limits are a type of reform that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Term limits are a type of reform...

Question 9

What did the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act eliminate?

Accepted Answer

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, eliminated the ability of national political parties in the United States to raise and spend unlimited "soft money" contributions, which are contributions made outside of the limits and prohibitions of federal campaign finance law. This means that choice E, soft money contributions, is the correct answer.

Question 10

What are the norms that guide behavior in Congress? Give an example of at least two of these norms. Do the norms seem to be strengthening (as in, more members are following them) or weakening over time? Do you believe that these norms are consistent with producing "good" policy? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the norms that guide behavior...

Question 11

The Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee meets to determine the final language of a bill on regulations affecting livestock in the United States. This process is an example of what?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of markup, which is the process in which a committee or subcommittee creates the final version of a bill by making changes and amendments to the original draft.

Question 12

The ________ process limits the amount of money that could be spent on a bill, but the ________ process determines how much money is actually assigned to be spent.

Accepted Answer

The authorization process sets the maximum amount of money that can be spent, while the appropriation process determines how much of that authorized amount will actually be allocated for spending. Choice B correctly matches those two processes.

Question 13

The textbook introduces the idea of the electoral connection, in which the behavior of members of Congress is understood relative to their desire to be reelected. Explain the three types of behavior we observe in Congress because of the electoral connection, providing examples of each one. How does the electoral connection affect the Congress as a whole?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The textbook introduces the idea of the...

Question 14

What are apportionment and redistricting? What factors influence the outcome of the processes, particularly with respect to redistricting? What impact does this have on elections to the House of Representatives and, therefore, on the politics of lawmaking?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are apportionment and redistricting? What factors...

Question 15

A vote of ________ will limit the amount of time spent debating a bill in the Senate.

Accepted Answer

Cloture is a procedure used in the Senate to end a debate and take a vote on a bill. It requires a vote of 60 senators to invoke cloture and limit further debate, allowing the bill to move forward for consideration and a final vote.

Question 16

Why is the filibuster/vote of cloture an important legislative strategy for the minority party?

Accepted Answer

The filibuster/vote of cloture allows the minority party to stop legislation with as few as 41 votes, which is important for them as they may not have the numbers to pass or amend bills to their liking. It also provides them with leverage to negotiate with the majority party and potentially make changes to the bill, which may not have been possible otherwise.

Question 17

What is a pocket veto?

Accepted Answer

A pocket veto is the automatic death of a bill if the president does not sign it in the last ten days of a session. This differs from a regular veto, where the president actively rejects the bill and sends it back to Congress with reasons for the rejection. In a pocket veto, the president can simply allow the bill to die without taking a clear action against it.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a way for Congress to engage in oversight of the bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

Suspending rules is not a way for Congress to engage in oversight of the bureaucracy. It is a procedural tactic that allows for temporary suspension of the rules of the House or Senate in order to expedite the legislative process. The other options listed - holding hearings, conducting investigations, limiting or cutting appropriations, and interviewing members of the bureaucracy - are all ways that Congress can oversee and influence the actions of the bureaucratic agencies within the executive branch.

Question 19

Which of the following has NOT been suggested as a means of congressional reform?

Accepted Answer

Reducing the size of the House of Representatives has not been widely suggested as a means of congressional reform. The other options - campaign finance, term limits, giving the Speaker more power over committee assignments, and changing the filibuster - have all been debated as potential reforms to improve the functioning of Congress.

Question 20

What is the difference between responsibility and responsiveness? How is the tension between these built into the U.S. Congress? Support your answer with specific examples from the textbook.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between responsibility and...

Quiz 11: Congress