Deck 6: Congress

Question 1

One of the more pressing issues among Americans is immigration. While most are concerned with the problem of illegal immigration, others believe reform is necessary to decriminalize crossing into the United States without the proper documentation so others can have access to a better life. Either way, Congress has refused to make any policies regarding immigration and the problems continue to get worse, resulting in ______.

A) low confidence in Congress
B) high approval of Congress's behavior
C) frustration with the president
D) calls for impeachment

Answer 1

A

Question 2

How many senators does each state receive?

A) two
B) four
C) five
D) six

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which type of governing body did the Articles of Confederation organize under?

A) a league of friendship among states
B) a Supreme Court
C) a single executive
D) a congress

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Ahmad is considering his options for getting involved in the government and wants to be at the frontlines for representing the people he has gotten to know in his community. Ahmad is most passionate about local issues and believes he has the capabilities to fight for his community at the federal level. Which body of government should Ahmad run for?

A) the House of Representatives
B) the Senate
C) the presidency
D) the Supreme Court

Question 5

Which branch of government did the Founders devote the most time and debate to?

A) the judicial branch
B) the legislative branch
C) the executive branch
D) the federal branch

Question 6

How are members of Congress selected?

A) by the president
B) by free and open elections
C) by the Supreme Court
D) by the Electoral College

Question 7

How many members does Congress consist of?

A) 100
B) 350
C) 478
D) 535

Question 8

What motive do political parties have to engage in gerrymandering?

A) Gerrymandering can give that party an advantage in elections.
B) Political parties are able to attract more voters in gerrymandered districts.
C) States give more money to the party that can gerrymander the best.
D) Successful gerrymandering can convert some voters to a different party.

Question 9

What motive does Congress have to take swift action in certain cases?

A) The American people want quick action following an attack or natural disaster.
B) Acting quickly without concern for repercussions often boosts public opinion.
C) Being expedient allows them to tackle more pressing legislation.
D) Congress has a better chance of getting legislation passed by the president if it moves quickly.

Question 10

Article I, Section I grants Congress which authority?

A) the ability to make laws
B) the authority to tax citizens
C) the ability to declare war
D) the authority to impeach the president

Question 11

Which statement characterizes the relationship between the House of Representatives and the Senate?

A) They function within separate branches of government.
B) They are completely separate entities.
C) They share nearly equal legislative power.
D) The Senate is more powerful than the House.

Question 12

According to the text, what is a frequent criticism of Congress?

A) It gives in too quickly to the president's requests.
B) It is too slow and unresponsive.
C) It makes decisions without careful consideration.
D) It is too difficult to vote out representatives.

Question 13

Since Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is considered ______.

A) unicameral
B) confederal
C) bicameral
D) federal

Question 14

What is the primary purpose of Article I of the U.S. Constitution?

A) to set the parameters for the power of the president
B) to establish the civil liberties enjoyed by citizens
C) to create a lawmaking body for the federal government
D) to determine how much power the people would have

Question 15

What is the significance of the Constitutional Convention, the Albany Congress, and the First and Second Continental Congresses?

A) They established the United States as a dominant military power.
B) They provided the inspiration for the creation of a Congress under the Constitution.
C) They allowed the Founders to draft a new part of the Constitution.
D) They allowed the Founders to discuss possible ways to reconcile with Britain.

Question 16

Which statement best describes the function and structure of Congress?

A) Congress is the most simplistic and streamlined branch of the government.
B) Congress has been accessible to Americans since its inception.
C) Congress is highly complex and filled with paradoxes.
D) Congress barely functions as the Founders intended it to.

Question 17

Saarah is part of the federal government. She represents the constituents within a district in her home state and is responsible for making laws that benefit her constituents' interests, as well as the nation as a whole. Which body of the government is Sarah most likely part of?

A) the Supreme Court
B) the executive branch
C) Congress
D) the bureaucracy

Question 18

What is the primary reason the terms for members of the House of Representatives are set at two years?

A) to make sure the representatives to not grow too powerful
B) two years was a common term length at the time
C) shorter terms appealed to the American people
D) to keep representatives answerable to their constituents

Question 19

Why was the legislative branch of government so important to the Founders?

A) Congress would have the authority to make new laws, and that authority is central to any government.
B) Congress would be able to choose the president, who would have nearly all the power within the federal government.
C) Congress had to be structured in a way that benefitted both the large, populous states and the smaller states.
D) Congress would be the only governing body with the authority to tax citizens, so they wanted to carefully limit it.

Question 20

Which was the first attempt to unite the colonies and organize them under a congress?

A) the Albany Congress
B) the First Continental Congress
C) the Second Continental Congress
D) the Constitutional Convention

Question 21

Who can be part of a conference committee?

A) only members of the House of Representatives
B) senior members of the Senate
C) only House and Senate leadership
D) members of the House and the Senate

Question 22

Which example best describes a select committee?

A) a committee to discuss and form legislation on farming and agriculture
B) a committee that makes policy that provides benefits to veterans
C) a committee that researches the possibility of a universal basic income to address income inequality
D) a committee that forms public education policies and enacts school lunch nutritional requirements

Question 23

Who is responsible for overseeing the development of the party agenda and getting the party to vote together on legislation in the House of Representatives?

A) the vice president
B) the majority and minority leaders
C) the Speaker of the House
D) the majority and minority whips

Question 24

Which is a feature of select committees?

A) They have the power to report legislation.
B) They tend to focus on a broad policy area.
C) They are not permanent committees.
D) They exist only in the House of Representatives.

Question 25

Which is a function the Senate majority and minority leaders are responsible for?

A) forming their party's platform
B) tracking how senators are going to vote
C) reporting to the vice president
D) imposing strict rules and control over the Senate

Question 26

Senator Mitch McConnell has a significant amount of power over the Senate and is mainly responsible for calling for votes on legislation, forming the Republican Party platform in the Senate, and has the ability to assign senators to leadership positions on committees. Based on this information, which position does Senator McConnell most likely hold?

A) junior senator
B) Senate minority whip
C) Senate majority leader
D) president pro tempore

Question 27

What is the primary purpose of a conference committee?

A) to examine a national problem and recommend a course of action
B) to review a bill that has just been introduced into Congress
C) to conduct oversight into federal agencies and bureaucracies
D) to resolve differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill

Question 28

What is the significance of the House Ways and Means Committee?

A) It is the only committee that has the power to report legislation.
B) It is the primary author of the tax bills, which must originate in the House.
C) It is the first committee that was ever formed in Congress.
D) It holds most of the subcommittees in the House within it.

Question 29

Shawn is a member of Congress and is on the Agriculture Committee in the House of Representatives, where he and his colleagues work on policy that benefits and regulates farming and agriculture in America. As part of this committee, Shawn has the power to report legislation, which he recognizes as one of his most significant responsibilities as a member of the House. Which type of committee is Shawn on?

A) a conference committee
B) a reporting committee
C) a joint committee
D) a standing committee

Question 30

What was the main function of the Senate as it was initially established?

A) to be a more direct representation of the will of the people
B) to help the House of Representatives select the president every four years
C) to guide the lawmaking process so laws could be passed more quickly
D) to guard against the quick changes in the wants and opinions of the people

Question 31

Trisha has always been politically involved in her community, from helping at the precincts on election day to volunteering for candidates in her political party, and has decided to take the step and get into politics herself at the federal level. She just turned 28 and was born, raised, and continues to live in her hometown. What can Trisha run for?

A) the Senate
B) president
C) the House of Representatives
D) Chief Justice

Question 32

Which statement summarizes the main function of a House whip?

A) to serve as an administrative assistant to the Speaker of the House and the majority leader
B) to count the votes on a piece of legislation and convince other party members to vote a certain way
C) to energize the voters leading up to an election to convince them to vote for a certain candidate
D) to shape the party's overall platform and legislative agenda and present it to the Speaker

Question 33

According to the Constitution, who is the president of the Senate?

A) the Senate majority leader
B) the Speaker of the House
C) the president
D) the vice president

Question 34

Who is the leader of the House of Representatives?

A) the vice president
B) the House majority leader
C) the Speaker of the House
D) the House majority whip

Question 35

What is the primary function of a select committee?

A) to examine and deal with a serious problem and recommend a course of action
B) to report legislation that will solve an urgent national problem
C) to conduct oversight of the House Ways and Means Committee
D) to suggest legislation that pertains to a broad policy area

Question 36

After the 2018 midterm election, the Republican Party maintained a slight majority in the Senate, but lost their majority in the House of Representatives to the Democrats. This means that ______.

A) the Republicans have a minority caucus in the Senate
B) the Democrats lost the election, overall
C) more independent candidates were voted into Congress
D) the Democrats have a majority caucus in the House

Question 37

Of the various congressional committees, which is the last to touch a piece of legislation before it is sent to the president to be signed or vetoed?

A) select committee
B) conference committee
C) joint committee
D) standing committee

Question 38

What is one advantage to having the majority caucus in the House of Representatives and/or the Senate?

A) The majority caucus has significantly more influence over the president.
B) The majority caucus gets to choose the leaders to control their chamber.
C) The majority caucus has more power over the advice and consent process.
D) The majority caucus can easily override vetoes and other executive orders.

Question 39

Permanent committees that focus on a substantive policy issue are considered which type of committee?

A) select committee
B) standing committee
C) joint committee
D) conference committee

Question 40

What was the original function of the Senate?

A) to represent the people
B) to represent the states
C) to choose the vice president
D) to appoint federal judges

Question 41

Because of the colonists' fears that a central government would tax its citizens abusively, all bills regarding taxation and revenue must originate in which body of the federal government?

A) the House of Representatives
B) the Senate
C) the Supreme Court
D) the president's cabinet

Question 42

Which is a function of the committee chairs?

A) they determine how much time will be spent on a new bill
B) they are responsible for proposing legislation
C) they investigate corruption in the committee
D) they decide when a vote is held on a bill

Question 43

What happens if the House and Senate versions of a bill are not too different from one another?

A) The bill must be presented to a conference committee for resolution.
B) House and Senate leaders and committee chairs strike a deal through informal discussions.
C) The president is presented with both bills and will sign the one he or she likes best.
D) The bills are sent back to the House and Senate floors for further refining.

Question 44

Who has the authority to introduce a bill to Congress?

A) the president
B) lobbyists
C) American citizens
D) members of Congress

Question 45

What must happen in order for a bill to move forward, out of the standing committee?

A) The Speaker of the House must approve the bill.
B) The Senate majority leader must approve of the markup version.
C) A majority of committee members must vote in favor of the bill.
D) The bill must be deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court.

Question 46

Who is primarily responsible for making a bill officially law?

A) the Senate majority leader
B) the Speaker of the House
C) the president
D) the American people

Question 47

Who serve as committee chairs in Congress?

A) the most senior members in Congress
B) members of the majority caucus
C) those with the most expertise in the committee's area
D) members of the minority caucus

Question 48

How many votes are required for a bill to move forward after being presented to the full House and Senate for consideration?

A) two-thirds of both chambers
B) unanimous approval in both chambers
C) two-thirds in the House and one-half in the Senate
D) a majority in both the House and the Senate

Question 49

Committees in Congress are primarily organized based on ______.

A) seniority
B) area of expertise
C) partisanship
D) wealth

Question 50

In 2013, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul spoke for nearly 13 hours to stall the debate on the nomination of John Brennan to run the CIA. Which tactic did Rand Paul use to stall this discussion?

A) cloture
B) open rule
C) filibuster
D) closed rule

Question 51

If the president disagrees with a bill and does not wish to sign it into law, what may he or she do?

A) send it back to the conference committee for reconsideration
B) issue a signing statement to specify how the bill will be enforced
C) issue a veto by refusing to sign the bill into law
D) override Congress's decision to enact the bill with an executive order

Question 52

What distinction can be made between a joint committee and a select committee?

A) A joint committee can report legislation, while a select committee cannot.
B) A joint committee is investigative in nature, whereas a select committee is not.
C) A joint committee is temporary, while a select committee is permanent.
D) A joint committee focuses on broad policy area, while a select committee has a narrower focus.

Question 53

Which action is a joint committee most likely to carry out?

A) examining the growing racial divide in the United States and recommending a solution
B) working with members of both chambers to resolve differences between two versions of a bill
C) keeping tabs on a federal agency that has been tasked with developing nuclear energy policy
D) reviewing a bill that has just been proposed and deciding whether or not it should be voted on

Question 54

What is the primary function of the House Rules Committee?

A) to control who may participate in the vote on a bill
B) to set parameters for consideration and modification of a bill
C) to decide who can and cannot add amendments to a bill
D) to review the bill before it is presented to the full House

Question 55

What happens after a bill has been introduced into Congress?

A) It is presented to the full House and Senate for debate.
B) It is presented to the president to be signed into law or vetoed.
C) It is assigned to a standing committee for consideration.
D) It is voted on by the House before going to a committee in the Senate.

Question 56

A group of mothers who are concerned with gun violence have banded together and have a suggestion for a bill that would impose stronger restrictions on the types of firearms available to everyday citizens, longer wait times to purchase a gun, and the establishment of a federal firearms registry. What must they do in order to get their suggested law considered by Congress?

A) get elected into the House of Representatives or the Senate
B) find someone in the House or Senate to sponsor the bill
C) apply and pay the application fee to present their bill
D) raise enough money to become an official lobbyist group

Question 57

Which is a characteristic of joint committees?

A) They can report legislation.
B) They conduct oversight.
C) They are temporary.
D) They propose legislation.

Question 58

What role does the conference committee play in how a bill becomes a law?

A) It adds amendments to the bill.
B) It determines debate parameters.
C) It sets amendment and voting rules.
D) It reconciles different versions of a bill.

Question 59

What happens with most bills as they are considered by a standing committee?

A) They die and do not proceed any further.
B) They are marked up and presented to the full House and Senate.
C) They are assigned to a subcommittee for further consideration.
D) They undergo judicial review by the Supreme Court.

Question 60

Suppose a bill regarding an increase in the federal minimum wage has just been passed successfully in the full House and Senate. The bill that passed through the House includes a provision that increases the minimum wage gradually over the course of five years, while the bill that passed through the Senate mandates that the minimum wage be implemented effective immediately. Who is responsible for resolving that difference?

A) the House Ways and Means Committee
B) a conference committee
C) the president
D) the Senate has final say

Question 61

Members of Congress often provide direct assistance to their constituents, local community groups, or local or state officials through ______.

A) delegation
B) oversight
C) casework
D) impeachment

Question 62

What is one benefit of casework?

A) It boosts the visibility of the member of Congress.
B) It increases the taxes citizens pay in that state or district.
C) It may be useful to only one group in a community.
D) It gives an advantage to a challenger candidate.

Question 63

Aside from ensuring that policies regarding specialized areas are made by those with sufficient expertise and experience, why might Congress delegate its lawmaking authority?

A) Some members of Congress dislike enacting policy.
B) Congress often does not want as much power as the Constitution grants it.
C) Delegating authority allows Congress to blame other agencies for policy failures.
D) Congress is required to delegate a certain amount of its authority to other agencies.

Question 64

Why is it important for the president to take action on a bill, even if he does not agree with it?

A) Ignoring the bill at a certain time can allow it to automatically become law.
B) Inaction by the president is perceived as irresponsible and hurts his public approval.
C) The president is obligated by the Constitution to always take action on a bill.
D) All bills constitutionally require some type of action by the president.

Question 65

What do the House "managers" do?

A) They present the articles of impeachment to the full House for consideration.
B) They act as prosecutors and present the case for removal to the full Senate.
C) They draft up the articles of impeachment to issue against a federal official.
D) They complete all the administrative work required for impeachment.

Question 66

When Congress lacks expertise on an issue or area of policy, what does it do?

A) It does not take any further action on the policy or issue.
B) It delegates its lawmaking authority to a bureaucracy with expertise.
C) It puts the issue up to a vote to see how the people want it handled.
D) It proceeds with enacting a policy that can be altered later on.

Question 67

Which notable agency did Congress establish and delegate a considerable amount of authority to?

A) the Federal Reserve Board
B) the House Ways and Means Committee
C) the Agricultural Committee
D) the president's cabinet

Question 68

What is impeachment?

A) the process by which a federal official is tried and removed from office
B) the formal process by which the president is tried for high crimes and misdemeanors
C) the process by which the House brings charges against a federal official
D) the formal process by which all federal officials are sworn into office by

Question 69

In 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to a vacant seat on the Supreme Court. Allegations of sexual harassment were lodged against Thomas by Anita Hill, a colleague of Thomas's, and the nomination and confirmation process became highly publicized. Nevertheless, Thomas was qualified for the position and was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 52-48. What is Clarence Thomas's nomination to the Supreme Court an example of?

A) the failure of the Senate to act professionally during the process of advice and consent
B) the political nature of and public interest in the nomination of a justice to the Supreme Court
C) the filibuster tactic impacting the high-profile nomination of a justice to the Supreme Court
D) the inability of the Constitution to insulate the Supreme Court from the press

Question 70

Which provision in the Constitution grants Congress the authority to confirm a president's nomination of an individual to the vice presidency, should that position become vacant?

A) Article I
B) the Twenty-Second Amendment
C) Article II, Section 1
D) the Twenty-Fifth Amendment

Question 71

Which power does the Constitution grant exclusively to the Senate?

A) the ability to enact tax and revenue policy
B) the power to approve treaties negotiated by the president
C) the ability to appoint a justice to the Supreme Court
D) the authority to override a presidential veto

Question 72

Suppose the president has been presented with a bill that would provide every American with access to free health care services. The president believes that such a system would crush the American economy and cripple the health care system, and many Americans agree, so the president vetoes the bill. Congress is passionate about this legislation and wants to override the president's veto. What must Congress obtain to override his veto?

A) a unanimous vote in both the House and the Senate
B) a simple majority vote in the House
C) a two-thirds majority vote in the House and the Senate
D) a supermajority vote in the Senate

Question 73

How many votes are required for the approval of a treaty in the Senate?

A) a simple majority
B) a super-majority
C) two-thirds
D) unanimous approval

Question 74

Maria is a member of the Senate and is on the Joint Economic Committee, which carefully monitors the actions taken by the Federal Reserve Board. Part of Maria's responsibilities on this committee is to ask questions about the policies and decisions the Fed has made and examine how those decisions have impacted the economy. In broader terms, what is Maria's responsibility on the Joint Economic Committee?

A) to conduct congressional oversight into the Federal Reserve Board
B) to investigate corruption within the Federal Reserve
C) to work with the Federal Reserve to set monetary policy for the nation
D) to decide when the interest rates must be increased or lowered

Question 75

What is the primary function of the impeachment and removal process?

A) to prevent corruption in the federal government
B) to provide Congress a check on the other branches
C) to reflect public sentiment between elections
D) to stall the policies of the executive branch

Question 76

Who is responsible for the confirmation of appointments made by the president?

A) the Senate
B) the House of Representatives
C) the Speaker of the House
D) Congress

Question 77

If Congress decides to delegate its authority, it will keep tabs on the agency it has delegated its authority to so as to make sure the agency is acting appropriately. This monitoring is also known as ______.

A) encroachment of authority
B) passing the buck
C) delegation
D) congressional oversight

Question 78

In 2017, several Democrats within the House of Representatives issued articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump including violations of the emoluments clause and undermining the freedom of the press. What is required for the House of Representatives to move forward with the impeachment process?

A) A two-thirds vote must be obtained in the Senate.
B) They must present the articles of impeachment directly to the president.
C) A majority vote must be secured in the House of Representatives.
D) The articles of impeachment must be submitted to the Supreme Court.

Question 79

What is the main distinction between the responsibilities in the House and the responsibilities in the Senate with regards to the impeachment and removal process?

A) The House is responsible for bringing up the notion of removal, while the Senate executes the removal.
B) The House is responsible for the removal of a federal official, whereas the Senate presents the case for removal.
C) The House is responsible for issuing articles of impeachment, while the Senate holds trial to determine removal.
D) The House is responsible for holding the trial of a federal official, while the Senate acts as a jury to determine removal.

Question 80

Why might a member of Congress engage in casework?

A) Casework is often mutually beneficial for the member of Congress and his or her state or district.
B) Casework guarantees re-election and a higher salary for the next congressional term.
C) Casework provides direct benefits to the member of Congress, even if the casework is ineffective.
D) Casework ensures that a member of Congress gets placed on a committee in Washington.