Question 1

The term "reconciliation" refers to the process in Congress to resolve ___ .

Accepted Answer

Reconciliation is a legislative process in Congress that allows for expedited consideration of certain tax, spending, and debt limit legislation, primarily to align spending with budgetary targets.

Question 2

Which one of the following statements is true regarding the design of Congress?

Accepted Answer

The design of Congress was intentionally made to move slowly and to make it difficult to pass legislation without significant debate and compromise. This design is meant to prevent a single group or individual from having too much power and to ensure that policies and laws are thoroughly considered before being enacted. Additionally, the design of the Senate with its equal representation from all states and the requirement of a supermajority for certain actions also reinforces the idea of making it easier to stop things from happening than to make them happen.

Question 3

The Legislative Reform Act of 1970 was designed to ___ .

Accepted Answer

The Legislative Reform Act of 1970 was designed to trim congressional staff and budgets, particularly by reducing the size of committees and limiting the number of subcommittees. The main goal was to make Congress more efficient in its decision-making processes.

Question 4

S. Constitution envisioned a powerful national government with a __________at its center.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Constitution established a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as a central part of the national government's structure.

Question 5

Constitutionally, "the power of the purse" rests with the ___ .

Accepted Answer

The power of the purse is a term used to describe the constitutional power given to the House of Representatives to raise and approve all tax-related laws and appropriations. The Senate does have a role in this process as well, as they must also approve any bills related to appropriations, but ultimately the House has the primary responsibility. The president and courts do not have direct control over the power of the purse.

Question 6

__________of members of Congress have a net personal wealth of ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of __________of members of Congress have a net...

Question 7

Through most of the nation's history, commitment to politics as a career was __________and the average congressional turnover was ___ .

Accepted Answer

Commitment to politics as a career was uncommon, and the average congressional turnover was high, indicating that many individuals did not pursue long-term political careers and there was frequent change in congressional membership.

Question 8

According to Thomas Jefferson, the elected representative should __________and ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Thomas Jefferson, the elected representative...

Question 9

Fundamentally, the House operates by ___ , whereas the Senate operates by ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of Fundamentally, the House operates by ___ ,...

Question 10

The Constitution declares that the __________shall preside over the Senate, although __________voting except in cases of a tie.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Constitution declares that the __________shall preside...

Question 11

Members of the early House and Senate were wary of __________and preferred to set policy in __________debate.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Members of the early House and Senate...

Question 12

The division of labor in Congress is the system of permanent __________committees with fixed committee ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of The division of labor in Congress is...

Question 13

The broadest distinction that can be made among standing committees is between __________and ___ .

Accepted Answer

Authorizing committees are responsible for proposing legislation that establishes or continues government programs or agencies. Appropriating committees are responsible for proposing legislation that provides funding for those established programs or agencies. These two types of committees are the most important standing committees in Congress as they deal with the most pressing issues related to policy and funding. Select committees are generally appointed for a specific purpose and for a limited time, while joint committees consist of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate and are tasked with dealing with specific issues that affect both chambers.

Question 14

Joint committees are made up of members from the House and Senate ___ ; whereas, conference committees are also made up of members from the House and Senate but ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of Joint committees are made up of members...

Question 15

Which two of the following individuals may introduce a bill in Congress?

Accepted Answer

Only a member of the House or Senate can introduce a bill in Congress. The president does not have the authority to introduce a bill; they can only sign or veto legislation passed by Congress. While a citizen can suggest ideas for legislation to their representatives, they cannot directly introduce a bill themselves.

Question 16

What are the two forms of "complex referral" of a bill used in the House?

Accepted Answer

The two forms of "complex referral" in the House are sequential referral and split referral. Sequential referral occurs when a bill is referred to multiple committees in a specific order, with each committee considering and possibly amending the bill before it moves on to the next committee. Split referral occurs when a bill is divided into different sections or parts and assigned to different committees for consideration. Concurrent referral refers to sending a bill to multiple committees at the same time, while open referral means the bill can be referred to any committee without a specific order or limitation.

Question 17

Post-committee changes to bills are particularly common on __________where ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of Post-committee changes to bills are particularly common...

Question 18

The __________Rules Committee sets the ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of The __________Rules Committee sets the ___ .
...

Question 19

Bills cannot be sent from the Congress to the president for approval until they have been passed in identical form by both the __________and the ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bills cannot be sent from the Congress...

Question 20

The budgetary process in Congress sets the government's priorities by making explicit decisions about __________and ___ .

Accepted Answer

The budgetary process in Congress involves making decisions about revenues (such as taxes) and expenditures (spending on various programs and services), which together determine the government's financial priorities.

Quiz 8: Congress: Partisanship, Polarization, and Gridlock

The term "reconciliation" refers to the process in Congress to resolve ___ .

Which one of the following statements is true regarding the design of Congress?

The Legislative Reform Act of 1970 was designed to ___ .

S. Constitution envisioned a powerful national government with a __________at its center.

Constitutionally, "the power of the purse" rests with the ___ .

________of members of Congress have a net personal wealth of _ .

Through most of the nation's history, commitment to politics as a career was ________and the average congressional turnover was _ .

According to Thomas Jefferson, the elected representative should ________and _ .

Fundamentally, the House operates by _ , whereas the Senate operates by _ .

The Constitution declares that the shall preside over the Senate, although voting except in cases of a tie.

Members of the early House and Senate were wary of and preferred to set policy in debate.

The division of labor in Congress is the system of permanent ________committees with fixed committee _ .

The broadest distinction that can be made among standing committees is between ________and _ .

Joint committees are made up of members from the House and Senate _ ; whereas, conference committees are also made up of members from the House and Senate but _ .

Which two of the following individuals may introduce a bill in Congress?

What are the two forms of "complex referral" of a bill used in the House?

Post-committee changes to bills are particularly common on ________where _ .

The ________Rules Committee sets the _ .

Bills cannot be sent from the Congress to the president for approval until they have been passed in identical form by both the ________and the _ .

The budgetary process in Congress sets the government's priorities by making explicit decisions about ________and _ .