Deck 11: Congress

Question 1

Who stated that supermajorities could reverse "the fundamental principles of government"?

A) George Washington
B) Thomas Jefferson
C) John Adams
D) James Madison
E) Alexander Hamilton

Answer 1

D

Question 2

U.S. congressional districts on average now have about

A) 95,000
B) 140,000
C) 335,000
D) 515,000
E) 735,000

Answer 2

E

Question 3

If a state has thirty-two congressional districts, it sends representatives to the House.

A) two
B) eight
C) sixteen
D) eighteen
E) thirty-two

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Each state is guaranteed at least seat(s) in the House of Representatives, no matter what its population.

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

Question 5

occurs when a legislative district's boundaries are drawn to maximize the influence of a certain group or political party.

A) Gerrymandering
B) Apportionment
C) Reapportionment
D) Redistricting
E) Malapportionment

Question 6

In , Congress passed an act that required all states to send representatives to Congress from single-member districts.

A) 1842
B) 1852
C) 1862
D) 1872
E) 1882

Question 7

A congressional district is one in which minority groups make up a majority of the population.

A) single-member
B) "stacked"
C) multi-member
D) minority-majority
E) "salamander"

Question 8

The "one person, one vote" rule that emerged from the Supreme Court's decision in Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) means that

A) everyone has the right to cast one vote in presidential elections.
B) all votes will be counted.
C) congressional districts must have equal populations so that one person's vote counts as much as another's vote.
D) voters must cast one vote for president and one vote for vice president.
E) the number of electoral votes each state has will be determined by each state's population.

Question 9

Who stated, "we pour legislation into the Senatorial saucer to 'cool' it"?

A) Thomas Jefferson
B) George Washington
C) John Adams
D) James Madison
E) Alexander Hamilton

Question 10

In , the United States Supreme Court ruled that congressional districts must have equal populations.

A) Reynolds v. Sims (1964)
B) Baker v. Carr (1962)
C) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
D) Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)
E) Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Question 11

To ensure equal representation in the House, congressional districts in a given state must contain, as nearly as possible, equal numbers of

A) men and women.
B) Republicans and Democrats.
C) people.
D) cities and rural areas.
E) liberals and conservatives.

Question 12

Every ten years, seats in the House of Representatives are reapportioned based on

A) the outcome of the previous off-year elections.
B) the results of the two most recent presidential elections.
C) the outcome of the decennial census conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
D) calculations of political party strength made by the Center for Responsive Politics.
E) the assignment of electors to each state made by the electoral college.

Question 13

If one party can elect or more U.S. Senators, assuming they all follow the party line and vote as a bloc, they can force through any legislation they want.

A) 60
B) 50
C) 51
D) 67
E) 100

Question 14

The framers of the Constitution

A) designed the House of Representatives to represent the people.
B) agreed that the executive should be, as James Madison said, the "first branch of the government."
C) designed the House of Representatives to represent the states.
D) designed the Senate to represent the people.
E) agreed that the judiciary should be, as James Madison said, the "first branch of the government."

Question 15

Gerrymandering was evident following the 2010 census. District lines were drawn to

A) "stack" the opposing party's voters into the smallest numbers of districts or "store" the opposing party's voters in several different states.
B) "credit" the opposing party's voters with a small number of districts, while "banking" a large number of districts in the account of the majority party.
C) accept the "pain" of losing most congressional districts to the opposing party while hoping to "gain" most of them back in the next election.
D) "pack" the opposing party's voters into the smallest numbers of districts or "crack" the opposing party's voters into several different districts.
E) "sack" the opposing party's voters while preventing a "fumble" of voters who are loyal to the majority party.

Question 16

The District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands all send to the House of Representatives.

A) one representative
B) two representatives
C) three voting commissioners
D) nonvoting delegates
E) resident commissioners

Question 17

Puerto Rico, a self-governing possession of the United States, is represented in Congress by

A) two voting senators.
B) two nonvoting senators.
C) one voting member of the House of Representatives.
D) a nonvoting resident commissioner.
E) three nonvitng delegates to the House of Representatives.

Question 18

The number of Senate votes required to force an end to a filibuster is .

A) fifty
B) fifty-one
C) sixty
D) sixty-seven
E) one hundred

Question 19

A congress consisting of two chambers is called a(n)

A) separation of powers.
B) apportioned assembly.
C) bicameral legislature.
D) divided government.
E) bipartisan congress.

Question 20

Malapportionment is a condition in which the voting power of voting power of in another legislative district.

A) minority groups; the white majority
B) citizens; citizens
C) women; men
D) Republicans; Democrats
E) liberals; conservatives

Question 21

Sophisticated computer programs allow states to draw district lines to concentrate one party's strength and dilute the opposing party's strength. This process is known as .

A) packing and cracking
B) reapportionment
C) racial gerrymandering
D) minority-majority districting
E) malapportionment

Question 22

A "new" Congress convenes

A) every year.
B) in January of every odd-numbered year.
C) in November of every odd-numbered year.
D) if fewer than 90 percent of House incumbents are reelected.
E) if fewer than 85 percent of Senate incumbents are reelected.

Question 23

Leadership and organization in both chambers of Congress are based on

A) provisions in Article II of the Constitution.
B) rules established by the federal judiciary.
C) membership in the two major political parties.
D) party control of the White House.
E) the "one person, one vote" rule.

Question 24

As of 2012, the salary for a rank-and-file member of Congress was .

A) $174,000
B) $215,000
C) $198,000
D) $147,000
E) $98,000

Question 25

Incumbents enjoy a substantial election advantage over challengers. This is in part due to

A) the ability of incumbents to raise more campaign contributions.
B) the rise in the number of independent swing voters.
C) the availability of web-based social networking to communicate with constituents.
D) term limits on members of Congress.
E) a drive to suppress voter turnout by introducing mandatory photo identification at the polls.

Question 26

The is ordinarily the member of the majority party with the longest continuous term of service in the Senate.

A) president pro tempore ("pro tem")
B) Speaker
C) president of the Senate
D) majority leader
E) majority whip

Question 27

A representative who acts as a(n) is one who tries to serve the broad interests of the entire society.

A) trustee
B) instructed delegate
C) partisan
D) politico
E) party member

Question 28

The Constitution makes the vice president of the United States the

A) president pro tempore of the Senate.
B) Speaker of the House.
C) president of the Senate.
D) presiding officer of the House.
E) majority leader of the Senate.

Question 29

In the Senate, the leads the opposition to the majority party's policies.

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

Question 30

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives is the

A) majority whip.
B) Speaker of the House.
C) majority leader.
D) president pro tempore.
E) Clerk of the House.

Question 31

In Congress, whips

A) are responsible for preventing action on bills by engaging in filibusters.
B) assist the majority or minority leader in the House or in the Senate in managing the party's legislative program.
C) exercise the power of "advice and consent" in the House of Representatives.
D) must sign the petitions requesting cloture.
E) are the only members who can place a "hold" on a particular bill.

Question 32

Which of the following is a qualification to become a member of the House of Representatives?

A) A person must be at least thirty years of age.
B) A person must be at least twenty-five years of age.
C) A person must be a natural born citizen of the United States.
D) A person must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years prior to his or her election.
E) A person must be a Democrat or a Republican.

Question 33

Each Congress is dated consecutively dating back to .

A) 1789
B) 1791
C) 1784
D) 1861
E) 1865

Question 34

Every two years, of the House of Representatives and of the Senate are up for reelection.

A) one-half; all
B) all; one-half
C) all; one-third
D) all; all
E) one-third; one-half

Question 35

of the U.S. Constitution requires that representatives to Congress be elected every second year by popular vote.

A) Article I, Section 1
B) Article I, Section 4
C) Article II, Section 1
D) The First Amendment
E) Article IV, Section 1

Question 36

Under the House rules, a vote that results in a tie

A) automatically passes a bill.
B) sends a bill to the vice president for action.
C) automatically defeats a bill.
D) sends a bill to the Senate for a vote.
E) must be taken again.

Question 37

To be elected to the Senate, a person must be

A) at least twenty-five years of age.
B) at least thirty years of age and must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years prior to his or her election.
C) at least thirty years of age and a natural born citizen of the United States.
D) a natural born citizen of the United States and a legal resident of the state from which he or she is to be elected.
E) at least thirty-five years of age and a legal resident of the state from which he or she is to be elected.

Question 38

All of the following are primary duties of the House Majority Leader EXCEPT

A) plan the party's legislative program.
B) organize other party members to support legislation favored by the party.
C) make sure chairpersons of committees finish work important to the party.
D) preside over sessions of the House, recognizing and ignoring members who wish to speak.
E) makes speeches on important bills, stating the party's position.

Question 39

The U.S. Constitution requires that members of the House of Representatives be elected every

A) second year by popular vote.
B) six years by popular vote.
C) second year by state legislatures.
D) year.
E) third year by the electoral college.

Question 40

A representative who acts as an instructed delegate

A) conveys the views of his or her political party when casting votes.
B) deliberately mirrors the views of the majority of his or her constituents.
C) actively seeks to faithfully follow a political philosophy or ideology.
D) has been heavily influenced by the lobbying of interest groups.
E) is a newly elected member of Congress, who has recently been tutored in parliamentary procedure.

Question 41

The House Committee normally proposes time limits on debate for any bill.

A) Rules
B) Judiciary
C) Oversight and Government Reform
D) Administration
E) Standards of Official Conduct

Question 42

When a committee chairperson sets a bill aside to ignore it rather than assign it to a subcommittee, the bill has been ____________.

A) pigeonholed
B) vetoed
C) marked up
D) reported
E) referred

Question 43

Typically, in the House the plays a major role in the scheduling process for bills.

A) Rules committee
B) conference committee
C) special committee
D) standing committee
E) select

Question 44

A veto occurs when the president does nothing and Congress adjourns before the ten-day period expires.

A) pocket
B) regular
C) lame duck
D) overriding
E) pigeonhole

Question 45

When a congressional subcommittee completes its work on a bill, the bill goes to the

A) full standing committee.
B) Rules Committee.
C) conference committee.
D) floor of the chamber.
E) president of the United States.

Question 46

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is an example of a committee in Congress.

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

Question 47

To be submitted to the President for approval or veto, a bill must be

A) voted on electronically in the Senate.
B) formally introduced in Congress by the president.
C) pigeonholed.
D) passed in identical form by both the House and the Senate.
E) signed by the president.

Question 48

A is a division of a larger committee that deals with a particular part of a policy area.

A) select committee
B) standing committee
C) conference committee
D) subcommittee
E) special committee

Question 49

The Senate brings a bill to the floor

A) after the Rules Committee specifies the amount of time to be spent on debate.
B) by "unanimous consent."
C) after the Speaker of the House has agreed to all amendments.
D) after the Rules Committee specifies whether amendments can be made by a floor vote.
E) before the standing committees hold markup sessions.

Question 50

The House Homeland Security Committee is an example of a committee in Congress.

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

Question 51

The president has to decide whether to sign a bill or veto it.

A) twenty-four hours
B) seven days
C) ten days
D) one month
E) one year

Question 52

Standing committees and their subcommittees hold markup sessions to

A) pigeonhole a bill.
B) determine the time limit on debate.
C) determine who will become the committee chairperson.
D) decide if a bill should be introduced.
E) approve, amend, or redraft a bill.

Question 53

The House of Representatives

A) may convict federal officials of impeachable offenses.
B) originates bills for raising revenues.
C) has fewer rules and restrictions than the Senate.
D) allows members to place holds on nominees for executive or judicial positions.
E) normally permits extended debate on all issues that arise before it.

Question 54

is a method for closing debate and bringing the matter under consideration to a vote in the Senate.

A) The senatorial hold
B) Cloture
C) "Advice and consent"
D) "Unanimous consent"
E) Authorization

Question 55

Most bills are proposed by

A) the House of Representatives.
B) the Senate.
C) the executive branch.
D) citizens.
E) lobbying groups.

Question 56

The use of unlimited debate in the Senate to obstruct legislation is called

A) "advice and consent."
B) cloture.
C) gerrymandering.
D) filibustering.
E) pigeonholing.

Question 57

As soon as a bill is introduced in either the House or the Senate, it is sent to the

A) appropriate standing committee.
B) Rules Committee.
C) conference committee.
D) floor of the chamber.
E) president of the United States for review.

Question 58

The Senate

A) has the power of "advice and consent" on presidential appointments and treaties.
B) may impeach federal officials.
C) originates bills for raising revenues.
D) provides less opportunity for prestige and media attention than the House.
E) ended the practice of unlimited debate in 1811.

Question 59

The permanent and most powerful committees of Congress are called committees.

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

Question 60

According to the speaker will not allow any legislation to reach the floor unless it has the support of the majority of the Republican caucus.

A) the Hastert Rule
B) the Boehner Rule
C) the Party Prerogative Rule
D) the Individual Hold Rule
E) Rule 22

Question 61

The sets overall revenue goals and spending targets for the next fiscal year.

A) first budget resolution
B) second budget resolution
C) continuing resolution
D) president's budget message
E) annual report of the Council of Economic Advisers

Question 62

In the phase of the budgeting process, Congress determines how many dollars will be spent in a given year on a particular government activity.

A) entitlement
B) authorization
C) apportionment
D) appropriation
E) reapportionment

Question 63

When Congress is unable to pass a complete budget by the beginning of the fiscal year, it usually passes , which enable the executive agencies to keep on doing whatever they were doing the previous year with the same amount of funding.

A) continuing resolutions
B) second budget resolutions
C) tax increases
D) first budget resolutions
E) outlays and obligations bills

Question 64

The president submits a proposed federal budget for the next fiscal year beginning on October 1

A) in September.
B) in June.
C) about eighteen months prior to October 1.
D) in January.
E) in October of the previous year.

Question 65

The resolution, which sets "binding" limits on taxes and spending, is supposed to be passed in September.

A) first budget
B) second budget
C) continuing
D) entitlement
E) earmark

Question 66

Formally, an item of pork-barrel spending is known as a(n) .

A) sow's ear
B) earmark
C) special project
D) appropriation
E) authorization

Question 67

A(n) program is a government program that allows a certain class of people to receive benefits. The government is obligated to provide the benefits and, in effect, no limits are placed on how much can be spent.

A) fiscal
B) earmarked
C) entitlement
D) pork-barrel
E) discretionary spending

Question 68

The Senate

A) voted to impeach Richard Nixon.
B) convicted Bill Clinton of impeachable offenses by a two-thirds vote.
C) tries officials who have been impeached in the House of Representatives.
D) convicted Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase of impeachable offenses in the 1800s.
E) impeached Andrew Johnson in 1868.

Question 69

The first part of the congressional budgeting process, involving the creation of the legal basis for government programs, is called .

A) the franking privilege
B) authorization
C) apportionment
D) appropriation
E) cloture

Question 70

The Congressional Budget Office

A) offers a scoring system that rates the impact of proposed legislation on the federal budget.
B) may veto legislation that adversely affects the national deficit.
C) is an important player in the impeachment process.
D) is answerable to the president and supervises congressional spending.
E) prepares opinions, reports, and assessments on a broad range of issues.