Deck 13: Congress

Question 1

In Great Britain's parliamentary system,candidates for Parliament are selected by

A)other members of Parliament,as in a private club.
B)the people,through primary elections.
C)delegates to the party conventions.
D)the party.
E)the prime minister.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which is NOT a power of Congress specifically enumerated in Article I,section 8?

A)To lay and collect taxes,duties,impost,and excise
B)To borrow money
C)To fix the standards of weights and measures
D)To declare war
E)To grant titles of nobility

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The purpose of a filibuster is to

A)ensure that all sides of an issue are heard.
B)delay action in a legislative body.
C)protect majority rule.
D)shift legislative power to Senate committees.
E)magnify the impact of specific special interests.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Article I,section 8 of the U.S.Constitution confers on Congress all of the following powers EXCEPT

A)the power to veto bills.
B)the power to collect taxes.
C)the power to declare war.
D)the power to establish courts.
E)the power to regulate commerce.

Question 5

Which is NOT one of the six phases of the U.S.House of Representatives discussed in the text?

A)The Powerful House
B)The Divided House
C)The Speaker Rules
D)The House of Newt
E)The House Revolts

Question 6

A basic difference between a parliament such as Great Britain's and the U.S.Congress is

A)that the principal role of Congress is to debate national issues.
B)members of Parliament have more power and higher pay.
C)members of Congress are more likely to vote the party line.
D)Congress does not select a president.
E)members of Parliament have nicer offices.

Question 7

The term used to describe a two house legislative body.

A)Unicameralism
B)Bicameralism
C)Federation
D)Republic
E)Democracy

Question 8

In the typical public opinion poll,

A)Congress is the most popular branch of government.
B)Congress is the least popular branch of government.
C)Congress is more popular than the president,but not the judiciary.
D)Congress is more popular than the judiciary,but not the president.
E)The three branches of government are equally popular.

Question 9

This article of the U.S.Constitution details the structure and power of Congress.

A)Article I
B)Article II
C)Article III
D)Article IV
E)Article V

Question 10

Until ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution,members of the Senate were selected by __________.

A)direct elections
B)the president
C)state legislatures
D)primary runoffs
E)regional coalitions

Question 11

Under the original U.S.Constitution,members of the House,unlike members of the Senate,were selected by ___________.

A)direct elections
B)the president
C)state legislatures
D)primary runoffs
E)regional coalitions

Question 12

From 1890 to 1910,about of all votes in Congress evoked a partisan split.

A)one-tenth
B)one-third
C)one-fourth
D)two-thirds
E)two-fifths

Question 13

In a parliamentary system,when members of the government's party vote against the parliament,the leadership must

A)form an alliance with the opposition.
B)appeal to the people to influence their representatives.
C)leave office and form a new government.
D)resign and name someone from the opposing party to lead the government.
E)resign and join the opposing party.

Question 14

How many members are there in the U.S.House of Representatives?

A)400
B)435
C)535
D)100
E)200

Question 15

The principal work of Congress is .

A)debate
B)deliberation
C)representation
D)action
E)Both representation and action are true.

Question 16

Congress was designed by the Founders in ways that almost inevitably make it .

A)efficient
B)popular
C)unpopular
D)proactive
E)respected

Question 17

By the end of the nineteenth century,the Senate was known as the Club.

A)Recalcitrant
B)BMOC
C)Hunt
D)Millionaires'
E)Vice President's

Question 18

The overriding political question throughout the evolution of Congress has been the

A)balance of power among Congress,the executive,and the judiciary.
B)distribution of powers within Congress.
C)curtailment of presidential activism.
D)role of the parties in selecting members.
E)rules pertaining to committee assignments.

Question 19

Richard F.Fenno described this paradox about Congress.

A)The lack of power in Congress when it comes to budget
B)The lack of support for Congress,but the presence of strong support among the public for congressional actions
C)The public disapproving of Congress,but on average,approving of their representatives and senators
D)The strong power of Congress in foreign affairs.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the filibuster is true?

A)It has always been a common feature of the Senate
B)It became an popular feature of Senate life by the end of the nineteenth century.
C)Neither party uses it.nth century.
D)There have been no attempts to restrict its use.
E)It takes sixty senators to end debate.

Question 21

Democratic Chairpersons of committees are more likely to be ethnic minority members because they are generally

A)popular in their party.
B)ideologically pure.
C)senior in the particular house of Congress.
D)requested by the president.
E)lucky in their assignments.

Question 22

Rule 22 was adopted by the Senate to provide a method to cut off debate during a filibuster because senators were

A)trying to protect the power of individual senators.
B)fearful of tying a president's hands during a wartime crisis.
C)trying to protect their state interest.
D)trying to strengthen the power of the courts.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 23

A member of the Senate has just been elected to a position that requires him to keep the majority leader informed about the opinions of other party members.He has just been elected

A)majority party whip.
B)president pro tempore.
C)chairman of the Steering Committee.
D)chairman of the Policy Committee.
E)chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Question 24

Since the 1980s,the conservative coalition has become less important because

A)reapportionment has given moderates an advantage in policymaking.
B)rules changes have weakened party discipline.
C)congressional leadership changes hands more frequently.
D)many southern Democrats in Congress have been replaced by southern Republicans.
E)northern Republicans are more influential.

Question 25

All of the following statements concerning term limits are correct EXCEPT

A)the movement to impose term limits began in the 1980s.
B)the House approved a constitutional amendment to limit terms.
C)A constitutional amendment to limit terms died in the Senate.
D)the Supreme Court has struck down a state law limiting the terms of members of Congress.
E)the Supreme Court has struck down a state law limiting the terms of members of state legislatures.

Question 26

In 2014,percent of incumbents won re-election in the House,and percent in the Senate,as the Senate changed partisan control.

A)75,80
B)80,85
C)80,90
D)90,80
E)85,75

Question 27

If you wished to study the real leadership office in the Senate,you would most likely focus on the

A)president pro tempore.
B)majority leader.
C)party whip.
D)chairperson of the Policy Committee.
E)chairperson of the Judiciary Committee.

Question 28

Studies suggest the incumbency advantage is worth percentage points today.

A)two
B)three to four
C)five
D)six to eight
E)thirty

Question 29

One study reported in the text showed that the strongest correlation between congressional voting and constituency opinion was in the area of

A)social welfare.
B)foreign policy.
C)taxation.
D)commercial regulation.
E)civil rights.

Question 30

Today,it takes of the Senate to cut off debate.

A)50 members
B)51 members
C)60 members
D)75 members
E)99 members

Question 31

A marginal district is one in which

A)voters frequently change party affiliation.
B)the constituency is made up largely of minority groups.
C)voters are not clear as to which candidate is the incumbent.
D)gerrymandering has produced a loose affiliation of interest groups.
E)the winner in an election gets less than 55 percent of the vote.

Question 32

The "Blue Dog" Caucus consists of Democrats who happen to be

A)extremely liberal.
B)moderately conservative.
C)from the Southeastern United States.
D)from districts that feature coastal waterways.
E)senior to most of the members in their region.

Question 33

Recent changes in the composition of Congress have resulted in

A)a more moderate Senate.
B)a more moderate House.
C)a more ideological and partisan House.
D)a more nonpartisan Senate.
E)a more nonpartisan House.

Question 34

The typical member of Congress is an)

A)middle-aged,white,Protestant businessman.
B)older,white,Protestant businessman.
C)older,white,Catholic lawyer.
D)middle-aged,white,Protestant lawyer.
E)young,white communications major.

Question 35

The conservative coalition in Congress consists of

A)southern Democrats and Republicans.
B)western Democrats and Republicans.
C)southern Republicans and Democrats.
D)western Republicans and Republicans.
E)northeastern Republicans and Democrats.

Question 36

The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their colleagues is referred to as _.

A)representational
B)conventional
C)organizational
D)attitudinal
E)relational

Question 37

The Senate first invoked cloture to end a filibuster of the

A)debate over whether to enter War World I or not.
B)debate over the Treaty of Versailles.
C)debate over the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution.
D)debate over the Spanish-American War.
E)debate over the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution.

Question 38

The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their constituents is referred to as _.

A)representational
B)conventional
C)organizational
D)attitudinal
E)relational

Question 39

The November 2012 elections brought first-term members to House.

A)less than 30
B)45
C)75
D)120
E)more than 150

Question 40

One proposed explanation for why congressional seats have become less marginal is that

A)the growing strength of the party system makes it less likely for challengers to appeal to average voters.
B)incumbents can use their powers to get programs passed that benefit their districts,and thereby themselves.
C)incumbents are less likely than challengers to become associated with the "mess" in Washington.
D)changing demographics have made an increasing number of districts overwhelmingly Democratic or Republican.
E)incumbents are less ideological than challengers and link themselves with Congress as an institution.

Question 41

A concurrent resolution based by Congress seeks to

A)censor executive branch officials.
B)make significant policy decisions.
C)settle housekeeping and procedural matters that affect both houses.
D)settle housekeeping and procedural matters that affect only one house.
E)reorganize committees in one house.

Question 42

When Congress obliged itself to follow 11 important laws it had previously been exempted from,it created the Office of Compliance to oversee the law,rather than have the president execute the law because

A)the president controlling day-to-day operations of the legislature violates the Separation of Powers.
B)the leadership wanted to control the office itself.
C)the president did not want the job.
D)it was cheaper.
E)Congress wanted to avoid actually following the law.

Question 43

decides)the outcome of disputed congressional elections.

A)Congress alone
B)Congress and the Supreme Court
C)The Supreme Court
D)State legislatures
E)Governors

Question 44

Unlike in the House,the scheduling of legislation in the Senate is

A)controlled by the Rules Committee.
B)initiated by means of a discharge petition.
C)governed by closed rather than open rules.
D)determined by the majority and minority leaders.
E)determined ad hoc.

Question 45

The staff agency that advises Congress on the probable economic effect of different spending programs and the cost of proposed policies is the

A)Congressional Budget Office CBO).
B)General Accounting Office GAO).
C)Congressional Research Service CRS).
D)Office of Technology Assessment OTA).
E)Congressional Research Fund CRF).

Question 46

Which of the following statements about revenue bills is correct?

A)They must originate in the House.
B)They must originate in the Senate.
C)They must originate with the president.
D)They can originate in either the House or the Senate.
E)They must originate in the Senate Finance Committee.

Question 47

In addition to the formal powers,the Speaker of the House has the informal power to

A)assign patronage jobs and office space
B)decide pay and benefits for members of Congress.
C)rule on motions on the floor.
D)select members of the Rules Committee.
E)decide which members will be re-nominated in the next election cycle.

Question 48

When a bill passes the House and Senate in substantially different forms,the differences are resolved in

A)a joint committee.
B)a committee of the whole.
C)the Rules Committee.
D)a conference committee.
E)a team-plan committee.

Question 49

The Speaker of the House is

A)elected by the country at large.
B)elected by whichever party has a majority.
C)appointed by the chairs of the standing committees.
D)appointed by the Supreme Court.
E)appointed by the president.

Question 50

Most of the power in Congress is found in

A)the chairmanship of committees and subcommittees.
B)specialized caucuses.
C)state delegations.
D)party leaders.
E)caucuses.

Question 51

A bill can be introduced in Congress by

A)any member of the majority party.
B)any member of Congress.
C)any member of Congress or the president.
D)members of the relevant committees only.
E)committee chairpersons only.

Question 52

Where is the real work of Congress done?

A)On the House floor
B)On the Senate floor
C)In the caucuses
D)In floor sessions in both houses
E)In the committees in both houses

Question 53

In the Senate,a filibuster can be ended by invoking

A)a rider.
B)a quorum.
C)a markup.
D)cloture.
E)a meeting of the whole.

Question 54

The original purpose of the General Accounting Office GAO),now the Government Accountability Office,was to perform

A)research in the Library of Congress.
B)audits of financial records.
C)evaluations of technological advancements.
D)employment application evaluations.
E)audits of high-ranking military officers.

Question 55

The type of committee most likely to deal with a bill near the end of its legislative process is the committee.

A)standing
B)select
C)conference
D)joint
E)rejoinder

Question 56

Because they are usually the only ones that can report out bills,the most important committees are the committees.

A)joint
B)conference
C)standing
D)select
E)rejoinder

Question 57

A discharge petition is used by the House to

A)make revisions and additions to a bill before it is voted on.
B)get a bill that is stalled in committee onto the floor.
C)amend a bill that has already passed one house but not the other.
D)override a presidential veto.
E)amend a bill in a manner that will make it quite unpopular.

Question 58

committees are more or less permanent bodies with specific legislative responsibilities.

A)Standing
B)Select
C)Conference
D)Joint
E)Rejoinder

Question 59

Of the following,which is an example of a select committee?

A)Aging
B)Ethics
C)Indian Affairs
D)Aging,Ethics,and Indian Affairs are all true.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 60

The complexity of the procedure for enacting a law gives the advantage to the bill's

A)party supporters.
B)opponents.
C)congressional sponsors.
D)supporters in the executive branch.
E)supporters in the media.

Question 61

Civil Rights issues are more likely to be guided by the representational view of congressional voting.

Question 62

Simple resolutions are used to make internal rules in either house.

Question 63

Safe districts are House seats where the winner won with 60 percent or more of the vote.

Question 64

It can be said that most Americans trust the Supreme Court,respect the presidency whether or not you like the president),and dislike Congress.

Question 65

Congress tends to be a decentralized institution,with all members more interested in their own views and those of their voters than with programs proposed by the president.

Question 66

To the Framers of the Constitution,the Congress was intended to be the most important branch of government.

Question 67

Discuss the public's opinion of Congress compared to the public's view of the Supreme Court and the presidency.

Question 68

Most scholars agree that the legislative output of Congress declined during the 1980s and 1990s.

Question 69

The right to filibuster is governed by Senate Rule 22.

Question 70

Many experts see Congress as the "broken branch."

Question 71

Congressional power is exercised primarily by committee chairs.

Question 72

In general,Senate leaders have more power than House leaders.

Question 73

All measures dealing with taxes or appropriations must originate in the Senate.

Question 74

Today,sixty senators must agree to invoke cloture to close off debate in the Senate.

Question 75

Party is the principal cue in congressional voting.

Question 76

The number of women in Congress has increased in recent years.

Question 77

Research has shown that the net gains from redistricting for one party over the other are very small.

Question 78

A congress concerns itself mainly with legislative action;a parliament concerns itself with debate.

Question 79

The Conservative Coalition consisted of Western Democrats and Republicans.

Question 80

The Congress is a unicameral institution.