Deck 9: External Influences on the Legislative Process

Question 1

At what stage of the legislative process does the president have the most power and why?

Answer 1

no answer

Question 2

Has Congress delegated too much power?
a. To whom have they delegated most excessively?
b. Will it be easy to claw back the powers they have delegated?

Answer 2

no answer

Question 3

How has the president increased his power over the past few decades?

Answer 3

no answer

Question 4

Do lobbyists have too much influence? How could their role be minimized or institutionalized and regulated more effectively?

Question 5

Should it be more difficult for the president to take unilateral action? Why or why not?

Question 6

Theriault and Edwards argue that the president is the most important actor outside of the legislative process and sometimes may be more important than most members of Congress. Do you agree or disagree with their evaluation? If you agree provide support by highlighting the powers or advantages of the presidency. If you disagree, explain why and suggest which actor(s) might instead be the most important external actors.

Question 7

The enactment of the War Powers Act has sparked intense debate for decades. Summarize the arguments on both sides of the debate. Then, pick a side and provide support for your position. Use real world examples if necessary.

Question 8

Consider the powers and responsibilities delegated from Congress to the presidency and the bureaucracy. Has Congress delegated too much, about enough, or too little to these other branches of government? Why has Congress delegated any power at all? Be sure you detail the most important powers or responsibilities that have been delegated. Provide examples when necessary.

Question 9

Many Americans believe that interest groups use money to corrupt politicians and the policy process more generally. Is this true? If so, support this view with evidence from the textbook and class lectures. If not, how do interest groups wield their influence and what role does money have in the process? Be specific and provide examples when necessary.

Question 10

Theriault and Edwards argue that even though most of the lawmaking powers of government are given to the Congress, it has little authority on its own. Do you agree or disagree with their argument? Defend your position and be sure to give proper consideration to the delegation of powers between the branches over time. Use real world examples if necessary.

Question 11

Is the use of a veto by a president considered a show of strength or weakness and why?

Question 12

Does the president have any role in the policy process after he signs a bill into law? If so, what can he do? If not, what limits his abilities?

Question 13

The president often deploys troops with his authority as commander in chief. If he does so, what options does Congress have in response?

Question 14

How has modern party politics impacted the institutional loyalty of members of Congress and what effect has that had on the separation of powers?

Question 15

What are the two main ways the president can line up congressional votes?

Question 16

To what extent do administrative agencies have power to oversee the implementation of regulations they impose? How is their authority, if any, carried out?

Question 17

What recourse does Congress have if it disagrees with a decision of the Supreme Court that resulted in the striking down of a law they passed?

Question 18

The courts can both help and hinder legislation making its way through Congress. What role did the courts play with regard to the popular policy idea of term limits for members of Congress? Briefly describe the court's actions and the current state of affairs for the issue.

Question 19

In what three ways do interest groups influence members of Congress?

Question 20

One can characterize the influence of the president as ___________________.

A) Constant throughout much of U.S. history
B) Constant within a president's term
C) Neither a and b
D) Both a and b

Question 21

What is the process that occurs after the president veto's a bill?

A) The unsigned bill is returned to the House Rules Committee and can be referred to another committee by the Speaker of the House
B) The unsigned bill is returned to the Senate and the bill can only be considered again if a cloture petition is filed
C) The unsigned bill is returned to the chamber from which it originated
D) The unsigned bill is stamped "VETO" and returned to Speaker of the House

Question 22

If Congress is in session and the president does not sign the bill within ten days (excluding Sundays), the bill _______________.

A) Automatically becomes law
B) Is pocket vetoed
C) Must be acted on before Congress can pass another bill
D) Is sent back to the House Rules Committee

Question 23

Which of the following is a way that presidents thank members of Congress for pushing favorable bills through the legislative process?

A) Donating significant sums to their reelection campaigns
B) Inviting them to observe his signing of the bill into law
C) Giving a member the pen he used the sign the bill
D) Both b and c

Question 24

The president's decision not to sign a bill during the ten-day period following its passage while Congress has adjourned leads to what?

A) Signing statement
B) Pocket veto
C) Veto threat
D) Protracted veto

Question 25

The legislative history of a bill can be used by courts or agencies to figure out the meaning of a law. Which of the following is considered to be part of the legislative history of a bill?

A) Floor speeches given by members
B) Committee reports on the bill
C) Presidential signing statements
D) All of the above

Question 26

The power to declare war is located where in the constitution?

A) Article I
B) Article II
C) Article III
D) None of the above

Question 27

What has Congress done to combat the increasing frequency with which the president deploys troops without a formal declaration of war?

A) Delegated the authority to confirm troop deployments to the Supreme Court
B) Enacted automatic cuts to the Department of Defense budget anytime unauthorized troops are deployed
C) Passed the War Powers Act
D) Created a Joint Committee on Troop Deployment to more effectively respond to these situations

Question 28

What does it mean when a president is "going public?"

A) He is beginning to campaign for reelection
B) He is addressing a joint session of Congress about an issue he cares about
C) He is responding to a scandal publicized by the media or an interest group
D) He is focusing public attention on an issue to pressure members of Congress for their support

Question 29

Which of the following describes the reasoning behind Congress allowing the president to lead on issues of foreign affairs and defense?

A) The president has a monopoly of information on these issues via his Pentagon staffers
B) Members of Congress do not want to defer to their colleagues on the foreign policy and defense committees thus resulting in gridlock on these issues
C) Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution empowers the president to have broad lawmaking authority over issues of foreign policy
D) The Supreme Court ruled that the president is the constitutional authority over these issues

Question 30

Under __________ government the president is likely to see his agenda gain traction and move through Congress.

A) Universal
B) Unified
C) Unanimous
D) Divide

Question 31

Congress may be less vigorous in providing oversight of the modern presidency if which of the following is true?

A) The American public disapproves of the way Congress is doing their job
B) The president and both chambers of Congress are controlled by the same political party
C) The president is in his first 100 days in office
D) Congress is taking part in the appropriations process

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT true about executive orders?

A) They can only be overturned via judicial review
B) They have the force of law
C) They are meant to be rooted in the constitution or areas where Congress has directly delegated the president authority
D) They are printed in The Federal Register

Question 33

The Emancipation Proclamation, desegregation of the military, and the implementation of internment camps during World War II were all accomplished using what means?

A) Presidential memorandum
B) Joint resolution in Congress
C) Executive order
D) Supreme Court decision

Question 34

When Congress delegated the power to write the federal budget to the president members lost the ability to do which of the following?

A) Amend the budget submitted by the president in any way
B) Cut funding below the amounts dictated by the president
C) Write their own version of the federal budget
D) None of the above

Question 35

A majority of House members are displeased with the president and are considering impeachment. What is the first step they can take?

A) Rally senators to their cause to submit articles of impeachment in their chamber
B) Submit articles of impeachment in the House
C) Bring a case against the president to the Supreme Court
D) Put articles of impeachment to a direct vote by the American public

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT a power Congress holds over the president?

A) Changing the president's salary during his first 100 days in office
B) Removing the president from office
C) Determining funding levels for the president's staff
D) All of the above are powers of Congress

Question 37

Which of the following presidents was impeached and subsequently removed from office?

A) Bill Clinton
B) Richard Nixon
C) Andrew Johnson
D) None of the above

Question 38

Which of the following allows federal bureaucrats to be critical at the beginning of the policy process?

A) They are quick to discover problems in the implementation of laws
B) They are staffed by experts in a specific policy area
C) They are not allowed to be employed by interest groups
D) Both a and b

Question 39

More often than not Congress ________________________________.

A) Defers to interest groups when specifying the scope of new government programs
B) Is very detailed about the parameters of new programs
C) Describes new programs and goals and lets federal agencies flesh out the details
D) Instructs the Supreme Court to establish parameters for new programs before allowing agencies to weigh in

Question 40

The size and scope of the federal government has, over time, done what?

A) Decreased
B) Increased
C) Remained about the same
D) Fluctuated indistinctly

Question 41

Which of the following is a power Congress holds over the bureaucracy?

A) Undisputed power to hire members of their staff or donors of theirs to agency jobs
B) Confirmation of entry-level bureaucrats
C) Removing bureaucrats from office
D) All of the above

Question 42

Which of following is NOT a power Congress holds over the courts?

A) Retaining the right to cast one vote in each decision made by the Supreme Court
B) Determining how much federal judges and their staffs are paid
C) Confirming or rejecting federal judges
D) Impeachment of federal judges

Question 43

Judicial review was established by which of the following?

A) Marbury v. Madison
B) Article III, Section 1
C) 15^th Amendment
D) NLRB v. Noel Canning

Question 44

What rule change did Mitch McConnell oversee as Senate Majority Leader in 2017?

A) The elimination of filibusters for all House and Senate legislation
B) The elimination of filibusters for Supreme Court nominees
C) A requirement that federal prosecutors participate in Senate Judiciary hearings related to Supreme Court nominees
D) The elimination of filibusters for executive branch and federal court nominations

Question 45

In what decade did consistent partisan-fueled opposition to Supreme Court nominees begin?

A) 1960s
B) 1990s
C) 2010s
D) 2000s

Question 46

Why do members of Congress need outside help from interest groups to stay informed about issues traveling through the legislative process?

A) Members have small staffs that are saturated with casework and constituent correspondence
B) Most members spend their time raising money or attending hearings instead of reading bills
C) The sheer number of bills introduced and processed in every session of Congress well exceeds the capacity of individual members' offices
D) Both a and c

Question 47

What is the primary role that lobbyists play in the legislative process?

A) Donating to a member in expectation that they will change their vote on a bill
B) Relaying constituent concerns from a member's state or district
C) Providing information that a member might not otherwise have access to
D) Both a and c

Question 48

A lobbyist's influence depends almost entirely on their ___________.

A) Credibility with policy information
B) Ability to donate to members reelection campaigns at every opportunity
C) Educational background
D) Home town and state

Question 49

Members of Congress are most likely to receive donations from interest groups __________________.

A) Whose views they firmly disagree with
B) Whose views they already align with
C) Who deal with issues the member has never taken a formal stance on
D) Either a or c

Question 50

Which of the following perform oversight and help identify problems for Congress?

A) Federal bureaucrats
B) Interest groups
C) Journalists
D) All of the above

Question 51

Which external actor(s) has seen the largest change over time in their relationship with Congress?

A) Interest Groups
B) The Media
C) The Bureaucracy
D) The Courts

Question 52

When fulfilling media requests members tend to fill which requests first?

A) National media
B) Social media
C) Local media
D) Either a or b, depending on when in the campaign cycle the requests come in

Question 53

Removal of the president from office requires what?

A) Unanimous support from the Supreme Court
B) Support of 2/3 of House members
C) Consent from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
D) Support of 2/3 of senators

Question 54

The federal court system is structured by which of the following?

A) Article III, Section 1
B) Congress
C) Article III, Section 2
D) The Supreme Court's Proclamation of 1789