Deck 10: Congress

Question 1

Democrats who created the Blue Dog Coalition to work for budget cuts and increased defense spending were primarily responding to which influence?

A)constituent
B)ideological
C)interest group
D)presidential

Answer 1

B

Question 2

What best explains the overwhelming advantage incumbents possess in seeking reelection?

A)additional financial support from constituent taxes
B)additional financial support from the federal government campaign fund
C)name recognition,access to media,and useful connections
D)name recognition,free postage,and access to district taxes

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When are bills introduced in Congress most likely to meet their demise?

A)after being read into the congressional record
B)after the final floor debate
C)after they arrive on the president's desk
D)upon referral to a committee or subcommittee

Answer 3

D

Question 4

At any one time,__________ of senators are up for reelection.

A)10 percent
B)25 percent
C)one-third
D)half

Question 5

How are member caucuses different from party caucuses?

A)Member caucuses are more informal than party caucuses.
B)Unlike party caucuses,member caucuses determine leadership positions.
C)Member caucuses meet more frequently than party caucuses.
D)Unlike party caucuses,member caucuses have the authority to review legislation.

Question 6

The Constitutional Convention settled on what form of legislature?

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

Question 7

Members of Congress who vote based on the preferences of their constituents are acting as __________.

A)delegates
B)logrollers
C)politicos
D)trustees

Question 8

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

A)majority leader
B)majority whip
C)party caucus leader
D)president pro tempore (or pro tem)

Question 9

The Framers designed the leadership systems in the House and the Senate so that __________.

A)passing a bill would be much more difficult in the Senate than in the House
B)the Senate majority leader would be the most powerful person in Congress
C)the Senate would have control of the nation's purse strings
D)the Senate would have tighter control of its members than the House

Question 10

Earmarks aid the district of a member of Congress by __________.

A)diverting unallocated funds to the service sector
B)increasing jobs and revenue with federally funded projects
C)increasing revenue through private market investment
D)taxing corporations less so they provide health insurance for employees

Question 11

The Constitution gives __________ the power to draw House district lines.

A)the Senate
B)the House
C)the Supreme Court
D)the states

Question 12

Why are senators more vulnerable to defeat than their colleagues in the House?

A)because Senate races are influenced by gerrymandering
B)because Senate candidates are more evenly matched in spending
C)because citizens are more aware of senators' voting patterns
D)because voter turnout is higher in Senate races

Question 13

Which statement is true of the House of Representatives?

A)Members are elected every four years and apportioned to states based on geographic size.
B)Members are elected every four years and apportioned to states based on population.
C)Members are elected every two years and apportioned to states based on geographic size.
D)Members are elected every two years and apportioned to states based on population.

Question 14

The only way to stop a Senate filibuster is with __________.

A)a cloture vote
B)a party caucus
C)a pocket veto
D)the closed rule

Question 15

Impeachment of the president is one of the checks on government set out by the Constitution that __________.

A)allows the House or Senate to charge the president with "high crimes and misdemeanors"
B)is so rare,it has only been used three times in history of the United States
C)requires a majority vote in the Senate to convict
D)requires a trial of the accused in the Senate to determine guilt or innocence

Question 16

Members of Congress differ from the larger American population in that they are disproportionately__________.

A)socially conservative and fiscally liberal
B)socially liberal and fiscally conservative
C)socially and fiscally moderate
D)white,upper middle class,and male

Question 17

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

Question 18

Which of the following is a classic form of gerrymandering?

A)markup
B)overriding
C)packing
D)reapportionment

Question 19

How do senators short-circuit formalities in introducing bills?

A)by sending bills directly to the Rules Committee
B)by introducing bills during filibusters
C)by offering bills as amendments to pending legislation
D)by placing bills in the hopper

Question 20

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

A)Reapportionment
B)Delegation
C)Gerrymandering
D)Redistricting

Question 21

The role of Senate minority leader is to __________.

A)represent the opposition in negotiations with the majority leader
B)serve as chief assistant to the majority leader
C)serve as the national spokesperson for the party
D)act as a liaison between the majority leader and the rank-and-file members

Question 22

What factor limited Speaker of the House John Boehner's influence in Congress following the 2010 election?

A)divisions within the Republican Party
B)divisions within the Democratic Party
C)new limitations on the use of the filibuster
D)new limitations on congressional authority to raise the debt ceiling

Question 23

Which statement about incumbency is most accurate?

A)Incumbents have a huge advantage in reelection.
B)Incumbents have a small advantage in reelection.
D)Incumbents only leave office when pressured by party leadership.
E)Incumbents only leave office when they choose.

Question 24

The Senate's power to give advice and consent relates to which of the following?

A)regulations issued by executive branch agencies
B)bills introduced in the House
C)treaties made by the president
D)members' reelection campaigns

Question 25

What power gives the Senate the ability to shape the federal judiciary far into the future?

A)advice and consent
B)oversight
C)rescission
D)unanimous consent

Question 26

The House Ways and Means Committee is so powerful because __________.

A)it has the power to reconcile different versions of a bill
B)it has the power to set the terms of floor debate
C)it both authorizes spending and appropriates funds
D)it both raises and authorizes spending

Question 27

In what way does the House differ from the Senate?

A)House incumbents are more vulnerable to defeat in elections.
B)The House holds tighter control over its members.
C)The House is a more deliberative body.
D)The House is more liberal.

Question 28

Being a member of Congress has changed substantially in the last 200 years.For example,__________.

A)by 1850,House turnover every two years was nearly 90 percent
B)members of Congress,early on,averaged 10 years of service
C)members of Congress received no pay through the early 1800s
D)to be a member of Congress was once a part-time job

Question 29

Which of the following is an enumerated power of Congress?

A)the power to lay and collect taxes
B)the power to make treaties
C)the power to appoint federal judges
D)the power to issue executive orders

Question 30

What was the result of the 2012 Super Committee?

A)A bipartisan solution was achieved,and $1.5 trillion was cut from the federal budget.
B)A bipartisan solution was achieved to generate $1 trillion in revenue.
C)A stalemate resulted in mandatory domestic and defense spending cuts of $1.2 trillion.
D)A stalemate resulted in an automatic reconvening of the Super Committee.

Question 31

Each __________ selects the party's leaders at the start of a two-year Congress.

A)member caucus
B)party caucus
C)standing committee
D)party whip

Question 32

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)president pro tempore
D)Speaker

Question 33

How is ideology in Congress measured?

A)by surveying members on their political views
B)by studying actual votes
C)by surveying voters in congressional districts
D)by studying transcripts of floor debates

Question 34

What can be inferred from a district in which one party has a clear majority of voters?

A)An open seat is likely.
B)A safe seat is likely.
C)Reapportionment is likely.
D)Strong challengers are likely.

Question 35

Moderate and conservative Democrats formed the Blue Dog Coalition in Congress in the 1990s to __________.

A)"choke blue" the liberal faction of their own party
B)demonstrate the power of the junior members of Congress
C)push for budget cuts and a cap on defense spending
D)push for budget cuts and an increase in defense spending

Question 36

Some Framers argued that including a bicameral legislature in the Constitution would __________.

A)be an invitation to tyranny over the other two branches
B)enable double oversight of the other two branches
C)prevent Congress from dominating the other two branches
D)provide both a liberal and a conservative chamber

Question 37

__________ committees pass the laws that set policy,whereas __________ committees determine funding levels.

A)Authorizing;appropriations
B)Authorizing;oversight
C)Budget;appropriations
D)Budget;revenue

Question 38

Which of the following is true of earmarks?

A)Though Congress banned earmarks in 2010,members are still able to secure funding for projects in their districts.
B)They have become an increasingly popular way for members to win favor with their constituents.
C)They are condemned by members of Congress as wasteful spending.
D)They are the main reason that public approval of Congress is so low.

Question 39

The president pro tempore __________.

A)has the power to nullify legislation with a pocket veto
B)has the power to select the majority leader
C)is an honorific office awarded to the senior senator of the majority party
D)personally presides over the Senate floor when it is in session

Question 40

What purpose does the filibuster serve?

A)to delay proceedings in the Senate and prevent a vote on a controversial bill
B)to force a bill to floor of the House
C)to break a tie vote in the Senate
D)to reconcile different versions of a bill

Question 41

Why is it so difficult to cut defense spending?

A)because defense spending is only adjusted every five years
B)because defense spending is controlled by a select committee consisting of military veterans
C)because so many members of Congress have defense industries in their districts
D)because defense spending is indexed to inflation

Question 42

Congressional Member Organizations,or member caucuses,are __________.

A)allowed to introduce legislation
B)not allowed to be bipartisan
C)not allowed to cross House-Senate lines
D)promoters of shared legislative interests

Question 43

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)judiciary

Question 44

Which is an example of logrolling in Congress?

A)awarding a government contract to a campaign supporter
B)introducing and sponsoring a bill
C)sponsoring a bill in exchange for federal monies
D)supporting a bill in exchange for support of one's own bill

Question 45

What would the Framers of the Constitution find surprising about today's Congress?

A)They would be surprised by the diversity of its membership.
B)They would be surprised that Congress is able to pass bills quickly.
C)They would be surprised to find only two major parties.
D)They would be surprised by the norm of courtesy among members.

Question 46

One example of the Framers' intent to insulate the Senate from the tyranny of the majority was to __________.

A)give the Senate authority to overturn a presidential veto without House ratification
B)give the Senate authority to overturn a Supreme Court decision
C)have members appointed by incumbent senators
D)have members appointed by their respective state legislatures

Question 47

To be elected to the Senate,one must be __________.

A)25 years old and a citizen for 7 years
B)25 years old and a citizen for 9 years
C)30 years old and a citizen for 7 years
D)30 years old and a citizen for 9 years

Question 48

You are a member of the House of Representatives and wish to introduce a bill.What do you do?

A)announce the bill on the floor after a motion to the presiding officer
B)offer the bill as an amendment to pending legislation
C)offer the bill to the Speaker of the House
D)place the bill in the hopper

Question 49

The Jack Abramoff bribery scandal prompted Congress to enact new ethics rules,starting in 2007.Under these new rules,members of Congress ___________.

A)may accept payment for making speeches and attending events
B)may accept small gifts from lobbyists,but they must be reported
C)may not accept free travel for any reason
D)may not accept gifts,travel,or meals from lobbyists

Question 50

The House minority leader __________.

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

Question 51

Although most incumbents are reelected with ease,the price may be the need ___________.

A)to forego running for leadership positions
B)to give up seniority
C)to resign from a committee assignment
D)to run a permanent campaign

Question 52

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 may follow his or her conscience unless public opinion is clear.

Question 53

How have the ideological positions of the two chambers of Congress shifted over the last two decades?

A)Both chambers have become more conservative.
B)Both chambers have become more liberal.
C)The House has become more conservative,while the Senate has become more liberal.
D)The House has become more liberal,while the Senate has become more conservative.

Question 54

You are a consultant hired to advise state legislators on redistricting plans.A prominent party leader suggested packing a district.Given that your job is to explain the full consequences of this action,what is one disadvantage that you should mention?

A)Packing involves complicated logistics.
B)Packing rarely produces a long-term advantage for a political party.
C)Packing is typically challenged in court.
D)Packing a district can dilute the party's strength in adjacent districts.

Question 55

A __________ is one tactic to signal the leadership that a Senate member may have objections to a bill.

A)hold
B)markup
C)pocket veto
D)referral

Question 56

What was the origin of the dispute resulting in the 2012 Super Committee?

A)constitutional prohibition of raising the debt ceiling
B)constitutional prohibition of federal borrowing
C)inability to balance the budget
D)Democrats' desire to cut social program funding

Question 57

Social media may be the best way for a candidate to reach voters who __________.

A)are 18 to 24 years old
B)are members of the attentive public
C)attend town hall meetings
D)read newspapers and watch the news

Question 58

A bill has made its way to the final floor debate in the Senate before a vote will be taken.You are a senator who opposes the bill.How can you decrease the odds that the bill will pass?

A)Give the bill an unfavorable markup.
B)Propose a closed rule.
C)Attach a rider.
D)Issue a pocket veto.

Question 59

How do some members of Congress justify the practice of earmarking federal funds?

A)Earmarks are evenly distributed across congressional districts.
B)Earmarks are a legitimate way to give taxpayers a fair return on their taxes.
C)Earmarks do not increase the federal budget deficit.
D)Earmarks are dedicated to helping the poor and disabled.

Question 60

Public approval of Congress __________.

A)dropped sharply in response to September 11,2001
B)dropped steadily during the Clinton administration
C)dropped to a historic low by 2012
D)remained steady throughout the 2000s

Question 61

The level of party-line voting is the lowest it's been in decades.

Question 62

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

Question 63

A rider is an addendum to a bill.It must be related to the bill and intended to secure or defeat its passage.

Question 64

There is evidence that political posts on social media can change people's opinions.

Question 65

__________ are special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.

Question 66

The attentive public is such a small minority that members of Congress tend to ignore it in favor of the general public.

Question 67

The House currently has 435 members,but this number increases every 10 years with the taking of the census,as mandated by the Constitution.

Question 68

The Constitution specifies that the presiding officer of the Senate is the vice president;however,the __________ presides in the vice president's absence.

Question 69

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

Question 70

"Markup" refers to pencil marks left on a bill after a committee or subcommittee finishes modifying or amending it.

Question 71

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

Question 72

During the period of turmoil known as the "Arab Spring," Egyptians became more favorable to strong leadership,even at the price of less democracy.

Question 73

When the House and Senate pass differing versions of a bill,they are sent to a conference committee to iron out differences between the versions before final passage by both Houses.

Question 74

The __________ process,which leads to the removal of the president,is Congress's ultimate oversight of the executive branch.

Question 75

About one-third of the bills proposed in Congress receive full passage.

Question 76

The Framers purposely rigged Congress to be inefficient.

Question 77

The Constitution stipulates that each House member must reside in the district he or she represents.

Question 78

In the face of inaction by House membership,a discharge petition signed by a majority can force a bill out of a committee and to the floor.

Question 79

The U.S.Constitution enumerates the powers of Congress as only as specific and limited rather than implied.

Question 80

Logrolling,or vote trading,was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court after the Civil Rights Act of 1964.