Deck 13: Congress

Question 1

What is the name of the provision in Article 1,Section 8 of the Constitution,giving Congress implied powers not otherwise enumerated?

A)eminent domain
B)necessary and proper clause
C)pocket veto
D)reapportionment clause
E)referral provision

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Successful members of Congress share the same policy interests as voters,according to the __________.

A)conscience model of representation
B)delegate model of representation
C)majority-minority model of representation
D)politico model of representation
E)trustee model of representation

Answer 2

B

Question 3

When a sunset provision is attached to a law,that law __________.

A)has a mandatory termination date
B)automatically renews
C)has a non-specified termination date
D)may be reauthorized,but traditionally is not
E)may be reauthorized,and usually is

Answer 3

E

Question 4

What occurs during the appropriations process?

A)Congress grants funds to federal agencies and programs.
B)Congress makes laws.
C)Congress acquires requested oversight material from the executive.
D)Congress instructs the president to eliminate federal agencies.
E)Congress creates new federal agencies.

Question 5

Why were Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton impeached but not removed from office?

A)A simple majority in the House led to charges of wrongdoing,but a Senate trial failed to impeach.
B)A simple majority in the Senate led to charges of wrongdoing,but a House trial failed to impeach.
C)A supermajority in the House led to charges of wrongdoing,but a Senate trial failed to impeach.
D)A supermajority in the Senate led to charges of wrongdoing,but a House trial failed to impeach.
E)Neither chamber of Congress secured enough votes for a trial.

Question 6

Each state has __________ senators elected every __________ years.

A)two,two
B)two,four
C)two,six
D)four,two
E)four,four

Question 7

An institution consisting of two chambers,such as Congress being split into the House of Representatives and the Senate,is known as which of the following?

A)bicameral
B)direct
C)trilateral
D)unicameral
E)unified

Question 8

According to Figure 13.1,Increase in Congressional Lobbying and Lobbyists,over the past decade,the number of lobbyists has __________ by thirty percent,and the total amount of money spent on lobbying has __________.

A)decreased; decreased by one-third
B)decreased; remained the same
C)increased; remained the same
D)increased; nearly tripled
E)increased; risen ten-fold

Question 9

__________ is a good example of Congressional casework.

A)Analysis of an incumbent's policy positions prior to a debate
B)Analysis of police force effectiveness
C)Analysis of water quality within a district
D)Assistance to a constituent in obtaining a Social Security check
E)Assistance to a federal agency operating within a member's district

Question 10

Which political institution charges government officials during the impeachment process?

A)Senate
B)House of Representatives
C)Supreme Court
D)Speaker of the House
E)Majority Whip

Question 11

Which political institution decides to convict and remove political officials from office during the impeachment process?

A)Senate
B)House of Representatives
C)President
D)Minority Whip
E)Majority Whip

Question 12

Over the past century,partisan polarization has __________ along with __________.

A)decreased; gender equality
B)decreased; income equality
C)increased; gender inequality
D)increased; income inequality
E)remained constant; income inequality

Question 13

__________ is the process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the population.

A)Apportionment
B)Appropriations
C)Delegation
D)Gerrymandering
E)Redistricting

Question 14

__________ is the only formal method for ending a filibuster and requires the approval of __________ senators.

A)Abrogation,fifty-one
B)Abrogation,sixty
C)Censure,sixty
D)Cloture,fifty-one
E)Cloture,sixty

Question 15

In the House of Representatives,who is second in authority to the Speaker of the House?

A)majority leader
B)majority whip
C)minority leader
D)minority whip
E)president pro tempore (or pro tem)

Question 16

A temporary committee created to serve a specific purpose is known as which of the following?

A)voting district
B)party caucus
C)party conference
D)select committee
E)subcommittee

Question 17

On average,each member of the House represents __________ voters.

A)6,000
B)106,000
C)600,000
D)1,600,000
E)16,000,000

Question 18

In which type of representation are representatives elected to do what they think is best for their constituents?

A)delegate model of representation
B)trustee model of representation
C)casework
D)gerrymandering
E)constituent

Question 19

Congressional whips serve what main function?

A)act as official spokespersons for their chambers
B)help the Speaker schedule proposed legislation for debate
C)meet with members of the executive cabinet
D)persuade party members to toe the party line
E)serve as personal assistants to the majority and minority leaders

Question 20

A committee made up of members of both chambers of Congress to conduct a special investigation or study is known as which of the following?

A)standing committee
B)select committee
C)joint committee
D)subcommittee
E)membership committee

Question 21

In the House of Representatives,who is the chief lieutenant of the Speaker?

A)majority leader
B)minority leader
C)majority whip
D)minority whip
E)party caucus

Question 22

In the House of Representatives,the __________ decides who will speak on the floor,and rules on points of order.

A)majority leader
B)majority whip
C)minority leader
D)president pro tempore
E)Speaker

Question 23

Sitting politicians try to focus on the needs of ____________ to maximize their chances at reelection.

A)fellow politicians
B)constituents
C)incumbents
D)delegates
E)trustees

Question 24

According to the trustee model of representation,legislators are __________.

A)obligated to follow a strict interpretation of the Constitution
B)obligated to present the views of their constituents
C)obligated to use their own opinions in decision making
D)trusted by their constituents because they are natives of their home districts
E)trusted to choose between their own opinions and the views of their constituents

Question 25

The __________ is where congressional Democrats gather to select their leadership at the beginning of each term.

A)conference committee
B)electoral college
C)leadership conference
D)party caucus
E)party conference

Question 26

Which of the following lays out the Congressional chambers' responsibilities concerning overseeing the bureaucracy,declaring war,regulating interstate commerce,raising and supporting armies,and writing laws?

A)Article II of the Constitution
B)the War Powers Resolution
C)the joint committee
D)Federal Convention of 1787
E)People's Chamber

Question 27

When is legislative staff most likely to be influential?

A)when a representative has a clear position
B)when a piece of proposed legislation is ideological
C)when a piece of proposed legislation is non-ideological
D)when a piece of proposed legislation falls within the representative's area of expertise
E)when a piece of proposed legislation goes against the party platform

Question 28

The true leader of the Senate is the __________,elected by the majority party.

A)majority leader
B)president pro tempore
C)Senate Chair
D)Speaker
E)vice president

Question 29

What demonstrates the Founders' desire to insulate the Senate from popular displeasure?

A)terms of two years,with all seats open for each election
B)terms of four years,with one-third of seats open for election every two years
C)terms of four years,with two-thirds of seats open for election every two years
D)terms of six years,with one-third of seats open for election every two years
E)terms of six years,with two-thirds of seats open for election every two years

Question 30

The Founders created the House of Representatives to be which of the following?

A)President's Chamber
B)Labor's Chamber
C)People's Chamber
D)Politician's Chamber
E)Chamber of Foreign Affairs

Question 31

__________ committees exist in both the House and Senate,may be temporary or permanent,and usually have a focused responsibility.

A)Conference
B)Joint
C)Select/Special
D)Standing
E)Temporal

Question 32

The basic __________ arises from the mismatch of individual and group incentives.

A)coalition building problem
B)collective action problem
C)conference committee problem
D)constituent coordination problem
E)continuing resolution problem

Question 33

After the Congressional elections,Republican politicians gather together to select party leadership during the ____________.

A)party caucus
B)party conference
C)whips
D)seniority
E)joint committee

Question 34

The 2012 reelection rates of 86 percent in the House and 84 percent in the Senate are an illustration of which benefit for a sitting politician?

A)impeachment
B)incumbency
C)constituents
D)casework
E)redistricting

Question 35

In the House of Representatives,what is the only position mentioned specifically in the U.S.Constitution?

A)majority leader
B)minority leader
C)majority whip
D)minority whip
E)Speaker of the House

Question 36

The president pro tempore in the Senate is the __________.

A)most senior member of the majority party
B)most senior member of the minority party
C)most junior member of the majority party
D)most junior member of the minority party
E)most senior member regardless of party

Question 37

A special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate is called a(n)__________ committee.

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

Question 38

Which minority has the largest presence in Congress?

A)Japanese Americans
B)African Americans
C)Hispanic Americans
D)women
E)LGBT

Question 39

A subcommittee's small size allows for the monitoring of members' behavior,ensuring that all members of the committee do their work and produce more of which of the following?

A)information
B)currency
C)deliberation
D)candidates
E)constituents

Question 40

On average,how many committees does a senator serve on?

A)one
B)two
C)four
D)five
E)seven

Question 41

Before federal funds can be allocated to programs through appropriations,what must occur?

A)authorization
B)earmarks
C)continuing resolution
D)sunset provision
E)gate-keeping

Question 42

When regular appropriations have not been set by the close of the fiscal year,funds can be distributed by a(n)__________.

A)continuing resolution
B)extensive resolution
C)regular appropriations addendum
D)regular appropriations extension
E)supplemental appropriation

Question 43

A member of the House asks her staff to determine the cost of a policy she is considering.Who would provide the most useful assistance to her staff?

A)Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
B)Congressional Research Service (CRS)
C)General Accounting Office (GAO) d Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
E)Office of Research Assistance (ORA)

Question 44

Which example best demonstrates a legislator acting as a trustee of his or her constituency?

A)A legislator considers public opinion,refining it with information and careful thought.
B)A legislator does whatever is best for his or her reelection.
C)A legislator follows the public opinion of his or her constituency.
D)A legislator heeds public opinion in every case,except in matters of personal conscience.
E)A legislator may follow his or her conscience unless public opinion is clear.

Question 45

A lobbyist for the NRA would be most effective when targeting a legislator ___________.

A)whose voting behavior supports gun control
B)whose voting behavior opposes gun control
C)with a large and mostly unoccupied support staff
D)who wants cash for personal trips to gun shows
E)who has likely never been to a gun show

Question 46

Charged with the responsibility to __________,the __________ is almost certainly the most powerful committee in either chamber of Congress.

A)grant and set procedural rules,House Rules Committee
B)investigate the performance of government,House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
C)make decisions about money for authorized programs,the Senate Appropriations Committee
D)set targets for spending and taxes,the House Budget Committee
E)oversee nominations and the Department of Justice,Senate Judiciary Committee

Question 47

The House minority leader __________.

A)has authority over the selection of the president pro tempore
B)has joint authority over which legislation goes to the floor
C)is elected by the minority party
D)is selected by the majority leader
E)is selected by the Speaker of the House

Question 48

This individual keeps close contact with all members of his or her party,counts votes for key legislation,prepares summaries of bills,and acts as a communications link within the party.

A)committee chairperson
B)majority/minority leader
C)majority/minority whip
D)president pro tempore
E)Speaker of the House

Question 49

Packing and cracking both draw district lines to the favor of the majority party,and thus,are two types of __________.

A)gerrymandering
B)lawmaking
C)oversight
D)reapportionment
E)redistricting

Question 50

The number of elected officials in the House of Representatives for each state is based on which of the following?

A)taxation
B)population
C)veterans
D)voter participation
E)registered voters

Question 51

Individuals' incentives can lead them to avoid taking actions that are best for the group as a whole.This phenomenon is known as which of the following?

A)majority-minority voting
B)collective action problem
C)cycling
D)gerrymandering
E)filibustering

Question 52

Which response best reflects the dilemma of pork in legislation?

A)Programmatic requests are beneficial to taxpayers but detrimental to reelection.
B)Programmatic requests favor federal employees at the expense of state employees.
C)Programmatic requests favor one district at the expense of all American taxpayers.
D)Programmatic requests are always wasteful expenditures but are useful to politicians.
E)Programmatic requests are typically beneficial to districts but allow the federal government to collect an undue share of tax revenue.

Question 53

Which of the following is true of majority-minority districts?

A)Creation of majority-minority districts has been beneficial to Democrats.
B)Creation of majority-minority districts has not increased racial minorities in Congress.
C)Creation of majority-minority districts was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
D)Race is a significant factor in drawing the lines of majority-minority districts.
E)Race is being replaced by culture as the main factor in drawing district lines.

Question 54

A committee that ceases to exist once members have completed their assigned task,or when they no longer have the political support of the majority party,is which of the following?

A)standing committee
B)joint committee
C)subcommittee
D)select committee
E)senior committee

Question 55

What occurs at a congressional party conference?

A)Democrats meet to select leaders and determine objectives.
B)Democrats review bills passed at the end of a session of Congress.
C)Republicans and Democrats meet to build rapport and plan bills.
D)Republicans meet to select leaders and determine objectives.
E)Republicans review bills passed at the end of a session of Congress.

Question 56

What best represents the trend of party polarization over the last three decades?

A)Both Republicans and Democrats have become more conservative.
B)Both Republicans and Democrats have become more liberal.
C)Both Republicans and Democrats have become more moderate.
D)Party polarization has decreased as bipartisanship has increased.
E)Party polarization has increased as bipartisanship has decreased.

Question 57

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 had which of the following that caused it to have to be reauthorized in 2002 as the No Child Left Behind Act?

A)earmark
B)veto
C)sunset provision
D)markup
E)open rule

Question 58

A committee that has well-defined policy jurisdictions that do not change markedly from Congress to Congress is which of the following?

A)standing committee
B)select committee
C)joint committee
D)subcommittee
E)senior committee

Question 59

Which statement about incumbency is most accurate?

A)Incumbents have a huge advantage in reelection.
B)Incumbents have a small advantage in reelection.
C)Incumbents have no advantage in reelection.
D)Incumbents only leave office when pressured by party leadership.
E)Incumbents only leave office when they choose.

Question 60

Which kind of committee can be convened to conduct a special investigation in the event of a major scandal?

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

Question 61

A conference committee is comprised of members from the House and Senate committees that originally considered the bill.

Question 62

__________ committees are standing committees that include members from both houses of Congress,and are set up to conduct investigations or special studies.

Question 63

Appropriations committees help determine the programs that will be funded,while authorizations committees determine the amount of monies to be distributed.

Question 64

The House currently has 435 members,but this number increases every ten years with the taking of the census,as mandated by the Constitution.

Question 65

Article I,Section 8 of the Constitution enumerates the powers of Congress: powers are specific and limited rather than implied.

Question 66

Gerrymandering is a type of redistricting.

Question 67

__________ is the counterpart to the majority leader in the House opposition party.

Question 68

Congress may override a presidential veto with a(n)__________ vote in each chamber.

Question 69

A filibuster is used by senators,who engage in long speeches and unlimited debate,in order to guarantee inaction on a bill.

Question 70

The longer terms of senators versus representatives in Congress is a reflection of the Founders' attempt to limit the influence of popular opinion in the Senate.

Question 71

Members of Congress can cause a collective action problem when they try to capitalize on the efforts of others at lower cost to themselves.

Question 72

A bill goes through markup in a full committee after a subcommittee votes in favor of it.

Question 73

Though the Constitution allows states to create their own legislative boundaries,gerrymandering in favor of any partisan or racial group is expressly forbidden by law.

Question 74

Article I,Section 2 of the Constitution stipulates that each House member must reside in the district he or she represents.

Question 75

There are more politicians of Hispanic ethnicity in Congress compared to African Americans.

Question 76

Legislators typically eschew casework,as it is burdensome to the staff and emphasizes benefits for individuals over the good of the whole district.

Question 77

Article II of the Constitution stipulates that each state will have two senators elected for terms of six years each.

Question 78

The Constitution grants Congress's ultimate oversight of the U.S.president,which is the _______________ process.

Question 79

In the Senate,a prospective bill is assigned to a committee by the chamber's presiding officer,either the vice president or the ________________,who is the most senior member of the majority party.

Question 80

Contributors usually give more money to challengers and open-seat candidates than to incumbents.