Deck 11: Congress

Question 1

Committees composed of members of both the House and the Senate,the purpose of which is to meet and iron out differences between bills,are called _______ committees.

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

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The House Rules Committee

A)has its members appointed by the House majority leader.
B)is similar to the Senate Rules Committee.
C)usually retains independence from the House leadership.
D)reviews most bills coming from committee before they go to the full House.
E)All of the above are true.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A ________ committee is one appointed for a limited,specific purpose,such as that set up to investigate the Watergate scandal.

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

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is unique to the Senate?

A)The filibuster
B)Committee leaders
C)Majority leader
D)Seniority system
E)Congressional caucus

Question 5

House members serve _____ -year terms; Senators serve _______ -year terms.

A)2; 4
B)2; 6
C)4; 6
D)4; 8
E)6; 8

Question 6

The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House,responsible for scheduling bills,influencing committee assignments,and rounding up votes,is the

A)president of the Senate.
B)House clerk.
C)majority leader.
D)minority leader.
E)majority whip.

Question 7

Which of the following offices is responsible for making economic projections about the performance of the economy,the costs of proposed policies,and the economic effects of taxing and spending alternatives?

A)Congressional Research Service
B)Congressional Budget Office
C)General Accounting Office
D)Ways and Means Committee
E)Federal Reserve

Question 8

Compared to members of the House,senators are

A)more likely to have personal contact with their constituents.
B)more likely to face difficult reelection opponents.
C)less likely to face difficult reelection opponents.
D)less likely to use television in their reelection campaigns.
E)None of these is true.

Question 9

One of the key differences between the House and Senate is that the Senate

A)is more centralized.
B)is less dependent on seniority for determining power.
C)has a lower turnover rate.
D)has stronger leadership.
E)has more anarchy.

Question 10

In contrasts to the trustee model of representation,the _______ model of representation is based on legislators mirroring the preferences of their constituents.

A)politico
B)instructed-delegates
C)uninstructed-delegates
D)pollster
E)Burkean

Question 11

Which of the following statements about the filibuster is FALSE?

A)The filibuster is used in both houses.
B)The filibuster can tie up the legislative agenda.
C)The filibuster is used to talk a bill to death.
D)Rules adopted over the years make it easier to close off debate and end a filibuster.
E)All of these are true.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about the policymaking process is FALSE?

A)Individual senators have substantial opportunities for influence through mechanisms such as the filibuster.
B)House leaders frequently refer bills to several committees at the same time.
C)At times,House leaders bypass committees altogether,referring high-priority legislation directly to the floor.
D)Party leaders exercise a great deal of control over the House.
E)Presidents play no role in crafting the congressional agenda.

Question 13

A bicameral legislature is a legislature

A)with two houses,providing checks and balances on policymaking.
B)in which each state has two senators,providing equal representation of the states.
C)in which incumbents have a better chance of being reelected,providing continuity in policymaking.
D)that must share power with a president,providing more efficient policymaking.
E)in which there are only two political parties.

Question 14

Members of the House of Representatives must be ______ years old.

A)18
B)25
C)30
D)35
E)40

Question 15

There are _______ members of Congress.

A)50
B)100
C)435
D)535
E)635

Question 16

The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to

A)initiate all revenue bills.
B)ratify all treaties.
C)confirm presidential nominations.
D)try impeached officials.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT true about incumbents?

A)They usually win elections.
B)They usually have more money than their challengers.
C)They usually have higher name recognition and visibility than their opponents.
D)They usually face very tough challengers,especially in races for the House.
E)They usually have their party's endorsement.

Question 18

An example of casework by a member of Congress is

A)writing a newsletter to send out to constituents.
B)helping a constituent gain citizenship.
C)voting for a bill desired by constituents.
D)working with a caucus on a public policy that affects his or her constituents.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 19

Presidential leadership of Congress "at the margins" refers to a notion of presidential leadership in which presidents

A)dominate the policymaking process by forcing Congress to adopt the president's policy agenda.
B)refuse to engage in policymaking,leaving the task entirely to Congress.
C)attempt to build coalitions and create a political climate favorable to the president's policy agenda.
D)aggressively use the threat of the veto to get what they want.
E)recruit lobbyists and interest groups to pursue the president's agenda in Congress.

Question 20

What are the dominant prior occupations of members of Congress?

A)Business and law
B)Medicine and academia
C)Medicine and law
D)Business and advertising
E)Business and the military

Question 21

The distance between congressional parties has been growing steadily over the past three decades,making bipartisan compromise more difficult.

Question 22

Congress is descriptively representative of the U.S.population.

Question 23

Committees have little substantive power in Congress.

Question 24

The average House member has 17 assistants and the average Senator has 40.

Question 25

There is a greater likelihood of competition in open seat elections.

Question 26

Individual members of the House of Representatives have substantial opportunities for influence on policymaking as individuals.

Question 27

Temporary or permanent committees that have a focused responsibility,such as the House and Senate committees on intelligence,are called select committees.

Question 28

Senate rules provide for unlimited debate.

Question 29

How many senators are elected from each state?

A)One
B)Two
C)Four
D)It depends on a state's population.
E)The same number as the state's electors in the Electoral College

Question 30

There are 435 members of the House and 100 senators.

Question 31

Which of the following summarizes the quintessential dilemma for Congress?

A)Balancing Republicans and Democrats on congressional committees
B)Finding competent staff who possess adequate policymaking knowledge
C)Combining faithful representation while also making effective public policy
D)Negotiating presidential dominance of the policymaking process
E)All of the above are true.

Question 32

Political parties in Congress have become more polarized over the last three decades.

Question 33

The structure of the House allows for greater leadership than does the structure of the Senate.

Question 34

The United States Senate has ________ members.

A)50
B)100
C)435
D)438
E)535

Question 35

A 1995 law requires lobbyists to report legislative issues they seek to influence,the amount they spent on that effort,and the identities of their clients.

Question 36

As part of the congressional reforms of the 1970s,Congress substantially decreased its oversight activities.

Question 37

According to your textbook,the stronger constituency interests are on issues and the weaker partisan ideology is,the

A)more likely members are to deviate form their own positions and adopt those of their constituencies.
B)less likely members are to deviate from their own positions and adopt those of their constituencies.
C)less likely members are to be controlled by their constituencies.
D)more likely members are to be swayed by interest groups and lobbyists in choosing a course of action.
E)more likely members are to be swayed by the policymaking agenda of the presidency.

Question 38

Filibusters occur in the Senate but not the House.

Question 39

If the full House votes on a conference committee version of a bill it is then

A)referred to a joint committee.
B)sent to the president.
C)referred to a committee for hearings,studies,and revisions.
D)sent to the House for debate.
E)sent to the Senate for approval.

Question 40

Fewer than 10 percent of all members of Congress are African American.

Question 41

The late senator Edward Kennedy,who had a background of wealth and privilege and was a champion of the interests of the poor,is an example of

A)descriptive representation.
B)substantive representation.
C)elite representation.
D)constituent representation.
E)franking privileges.

Question 42

Which of the following is a consequence of the fact that members of Congress feel "unsafe at any margin"?

A)Members of Congress spend more time raising campaign funds.
B)Members of Congress spend more time at home in their states and districts.
C)Members of Congress send more mail to their constituents.
D)Members of Congress staff more local offices.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 43

Comparison between members of the House and Senate concerning the impact of incumbency on their reelection chances shows that one of the reasons that senators have a smaller advantage is because they

A)have become overspecialized as policymakers.
B)are more likely to be held accountable on controversial issues.
C)are less visible.
D)have longer terms that increase the chance of scandal.
E)represent more homogenous constituencies.

Question 44

A legislature divided into two houses is called a ________ legislature.

A)dual
B)double
C)bicameral
D)unicameral
E)divided

Question 45

The income and occupations of members of Congress

A)typically reflect the pluralistic nature of American society.
B)are very close to the average found among their constituency.
C)would,for the most part,make them members of the elite in American society.
D)have no real impact on public policymaking.
E)places over 90 percent of them in the millionaire businessperson class.

Question 46

In terms of religion,most members of Congress are

A)Catholic.
B)Jewish.
C)Protestant.
D)born-again Christians.
E)atheists.

Question 47

In the 2007-2008 campaign cycle,the average winner in the House spent about _____,while the average Senate winner spent ______ .

A)$50,000; $100,000
B)$100,000; $500,000
C)$1.4 million; $8.5 million
D)$500,000; $100,000
E)$8.5 million; $1.4 million

Question 48

Which of the following statements about the role of money in congressional elections is FALSE?

A)Outspending your opponent by a large margin is no guarantee of success.
B)The more challengers spend,the more votes they receive.
C)Challengers usually outspend incumbents.
D)In open seats,the candidate who spends the most usually wins.
E)Incumbents benefit less from campaign spending than challengers.

Question 49

Women occupied approximately _____ percent of the seats in the 111th Congress.

A)5
B)10
C)17
D)20
E)40

Question 50

Substantive representation refers to

A)descriptive representation.
B)representing the interests of groups.
C)serving constituents through pork barrel projects.
D)representing constituents by mirroring their personal,politically relevant characteristics.
E)representing the poor.

Question 51

What is descriptive representation?

A)Representing constituents by mirroring their personal,politically relevant characteristics
B)Representing the interests of groups
C)Representing issues affecting the poor when the representative is extremely wealthy
D)When members of Congress serve on committees
E)When members of Congress have not lived in their home district very long

Question 52

Individuals already holding office are called

A)incumbents.
B)challengers.
C)chairmen.
D)consulates.
E)secretaries.

Question 53

The single most important advantage to someone trying to get elected to Congress is

A)being an incumbent.
B)having more money to spend on campaigning.
C)being charismatic and photogenic.
D)having a clean record.
E)winning the endorsement of the top leaders of his or her party.

Question 54

The fact that incumbents usually win reelection

A)creates stability in the membership of Congress.
B)allows representatives and senators to gain some expertise in dealing with public policy.
C)insulates members of Congress from political change.
D)makes it more difficult for citizens to "send a message to Washington" with their votes.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 55

The pork barrel and casework are examples of

A)opportunities for credit claiming by members of Congress.
B)advertising techniques.
C)descriptive representation.
D)position taking.
E)congressional continuity.

Question 56

Reasons that incumbent senators have greater competition than incumbent members of the House include all of the following EXCEPT

A)an entire state is more diverse than a congressional district,providing more of a base for opposition.
B)senators have less personal contact with their constituencies.
C)voters are less likely to know the issue positions of their senators than their representatives.
D)senators tend to draw more visible challengers.
E)Senate challengers are better funded than House challengers.

Question 57

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals are known as

A)pork barrel politics.
B)casework.
C)franking.
D)advertising.
E)credit claiming.

Question 58

Which of the following is TRUE about the minimum age requirements for members of Congress set forth in the Constitution?

A)One must be at least 21 years of age to serve in the House of Representatives.
B)One must be at least 30 years of age to serve in the Senate.
C)One must be at least 35 years of age to serve in either the House or the Senate.
D)There are no age requirements for members of Congress.
E)The age requirements are the same for the House and the Senate.

Question 59

Which of the following statements about incumbency is FALSE?

A)Most incumbents forgo the opportunity to run for reelection.
B)Most incumbents decide to run for reelection.
C)Most incumbents running for reelection are victorious.
D)Not only do more than 90 percent of incumbents seeking reelection win,but most win more than 60 percent of the vote.
E)Incumbents tend to win even when challengers' positions are closer to voters' positions.

Question 60

The most common prior occupation for members of Congress is

A)business.
B)law.
C)education.
D)public service.
E)state legislator.

Question 61

The House ________ Committee reviews most bills coming from other committees before they go on to the full House,thus performing a traffic cop function.

A)Appropriations
B)Ways and Means
C)Rules
D)Authorization
E)Review

Question 62

Nominees to the United States Supreme Court must be confirmed by

A)the Senate.
B)the House.
C)either the House or the Senate.
D)both the House and the Senate.
E)the president.

Question 63

A Senate seat is up for election every

A)two years.
B)four years.
C)six years.
D)eight years.
E)five years.

Question 64

Why are so many senators reluctant to use cloture?

A)For fear of setting a precedent to be used against them when they want to filibuster
B)Because it has always been used as a stepping stone to the Speaker's job,and once used,they may not get a second chance at the job
C)Because,in most cases,the House or Senate usually considers only the bills that obtain a favorable committee report
D)Because they have to stay in their positions to monitor the bureaucracy,otherwise there would be no congressional oversight
E)Because the size and complexity of today's government make it impossible for any one person to understand all the issues before the Senate

Question 65

According to the Constitution,once impeached,federal officials are then tried in the

A)Supreme Court.
B)House.
C)Senate.
D)Department of Justice.
E)United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Question 66

The minority whip

A)assists the majority leader in party-line votes.
B)becomes the Speaker automatically if the Speaker resigns.
C)represents African Americans,Hispanic Americans,and Asian Americans in each chamber of Congress.
D)keeps a close head count on key votes and attempts to keep party members in line.
E)is used to punish members who do not vote with the rest of their party.

Question 67

Which of the following congressional offices is mandated by the Constitution?

A)Speaker of the House
B)House and Senate majority leader
C)President of the House
D)President of the United States
E)All of the above are mandated by the Constitution.

Question 68

House seats are up for election every

A)two years.
B)four years.
C)six years.
D)eight years.
E)five years.

Question 69

Which of the following is TRUE of the Senate as compared to the House?

A)The Senate is more centralized and is characterized by stronger leadership.
B)In the Senate,seniority is important in determining power.
C)The Senate is more influential on the budget.
D)The Senate is more influential in foreign affairs.
E)The Senate is smaller in number and less powerful and prestigious.

Question 70

_____ committees draw their membership from both the Senate and the House.

A)Joint
B)Standing
C)Ad-hoc
D)Select
E)Conference

Question 71

________ members present and voting can halt a filibuster by voting for cloture.

A)Sixty
B)Seventy
C)Eighty
D)Fifty-one
E)Seventy-five

Question 72

One of the key differences between the House and Senate is that the House

A)has weaker leadership.
B)is more influential on foreign affairs.
C)has more policy specialization.
D)is less centralized.
E)is less institutionalized.

Question 73

The most powerful person in the Senate is the

A)majority leader.
B)vice president of the United States,who serves as president of the Senate.
C)chair of the Rules Committee.
D)Speaker.
E)president of the United States.

Question 74

Which of the following is NOT a role or responsibility of the Speaker of the House?

A)Making committee assignments
B)Presiding over the House when it is in session
C)Recommending which members should be expelled from the House for failure to support the party's positions on bills
D)Assigning most bills to committees
E)Appointing the party's legislative leaders

Question 75

The procedure used to cut off debate and end a filibuster is known as

A)franking.
B)coattails.
C)cloture.
D)overriding.
E)hushing.

Question 76

Nebraska's legislature is the only one in the United States that is NOT

A)elected by the voters.
B)unicameral.
C)bicameral.
D)tricameral.
E)under term limits.

Question 77

According to the Constitution,revenue bills must originate in the

A)Internal Revenue Service.
B)Federal Reserve System.
C)House.
D)Senate.
E)Treasury Department.

Question 78

Party leaders who work with the majority or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party are called

A)whips.
B)speakers.
C)pork barrellers.
D)PACs.
E)filibusterers.

Question 79

Most of the business of Congress takes place

A)in congressional districts.
B)on the floor of the House and Senate.
C)in committees and subcommittees.
D)during evening social functions.
E)in the Rules Committee.

Question 80

The filibuster

A)is unique to the Senate.
B)is unique to the House.
C)is allowed in both the House and the Senate.
D)has been ruled unconstitutional.
E)has been prohibited in both the House and Senate.