Chapter 11

Which of the following are activities that typically take place in a party caucus?

- Adopting single party message - Developing issues

Which of the following are duties of the Speaker of the House?

-scheduling legislation for floor consideration -recognizing members who will be allowed to speak on the floor

In order to become a member of the Senate, a person must be at least ___ years of age and have been a citizen for at least ___ years.

30, 9

Which of the following is a major reason why incumbents are reelected?

Many congressional districts and some states are lopsidedly Democratic or Republican.

Which of the following correctly describe protocol for committee membership?

Most newly elected members of Congress request committee assignments. Most vacancies occur after elections, either from retirements or incumbent defeats.

What shift brought the president to a more central role in the legislative process?

National and international forces combined to place greater policy demands on the federal government.

Which of the following describes the power of Congress relative to the other branches of government?

No executive agency or lower court can exist without congressional authorization.

Which of the following correctly describes how committees and subcommittees serve to decentralize power in Congress?

They allow more members to hold leadership positions.

Which of the following is true of bills that emerge from committee with the full support of the committee members?

They are typically passed by an overwhelming majority.

Which of the following statements about midterm elections are generally true?

Voter turnout is lower than for presidential elections. There is less media coverage of candidates and issues than in a presidential election. The president's party usually loses seats.

Which of the following are true concerning women and minorities who run for congressional office?

Women and minorities are less likely to run for Congress than white males. There are more women than there are minorities in Congress.

If congressional representatives find themselves having to choose between angering voters and donors or angering party leadership by refusing to go along with a vote, which will they likely choose?

angering leadership by voting the way their donors and voters want them to

Which of the following strongly and positively affects a congressional candidate's ability win an election?

being an incumbent

To plan strategy and resolve policy issues, party members in Congress typically meet behind closed doors in a session called a party ___.

caucus

Which of the following is not a direct power of the committee chair?

changes party affiliation at will

In the large majority of cases, the winner of a congressional campaign is the ______.

incumbent

An example of Congress's ______ occurs when Congress passes legislation that creates incentives for the development of alternative energy sources.

lawmaking function

The framers of the Constitution granted Congress the power to ______, the greatest of all powers of government.

make laws

Elections held two years after presidential elections are called ______ elections.

midterm

The House and the Senate each elect ______ to direct their party's efforts in the chamber.

party leaders

The increase in party polarization in Congress has led to increased ______.

policy deadlock

Choosing committee chairs based on which member has the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee is an example of the ____ system.

seniority

In terms of their careers, most members of Congress ______.

want to stay in Congress and put themselves in position for reelection

What holds party lawmakers together?

They have far more in common with each other than they do with lawmakers of the other party.

Which of the following oversight tools help Congress to ensure that the executive branch is administering the laws properly?

budgetary appropriations congressional hearings

On major bills, it is increasingly typical for the majority party's leaders to

direct the floor debate after the bill leaves the committee. shape the bill's broad content.

The party that controls the rules and has the most powerful leadership position in the House is the ___ party.

majority

The partisan divide in Congress has grown in recent years, to the point where each party has a high level of ______, which is when party members band together on legislation and oppose the other party.

party unity