chapter 12 Congress

Senate

Treaties are considered in this chamber.

.True or false: Supreme Court decisions often uphold the constitutionality of a law, in a sense verifying Congress's ability to create policy on a given subject.

True

True or false: Supreme Court decisions often uphold the constitutionality of a law, in a sense verifying Congress's ability to create policy on a given subject

True

True or false: The Constitution is far more explicit in defining the responsibilities of Congress than it is in describing the functions of the other branches of government.

True

Majority-minority districts are

an attempt to increase diversity in Congress.

Which of the following contribute to incumbents having an advantage over their challengers during congressional elections?

being able to raise money more easily having greater name recognition having easier access to media coverage

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

being an incumbent

One consequence of having a congressional "safe seat" is that a House member

can generally be partisan without an unfavorable political outcome.

Which of the following benefits of office are an advantage for incumbents in their campaigns for reelection?

casework free news exposure franking privileges

When an incumbent personally helps constituents solve problems with the federal bureaucracy, it is known as

casework.

The ability to use ______ to communicate with voters free of charge is a benefit exclusive to incumbents.

franking

The redrawing of congressional boundaries to benefit an incumbent, a political party, or some other group is called

gerrymandering.

Two of the most important influences on congressional elections are

incumbency and redistricting.

Which of the following factors have the greatest influence on congressional elections?

incumbent popularity redistricting

Donors are more willing to make campaign contributions to

incumbents.

The "necessary and proper" clause was also called the elastic clause because

it increased the powers of Congress beyond the language of the Constitution.

The framers structured Congress in a way that

kept it from becoming too powerful. made it an effective check on the president. made it powerful enough to govern.

The framers' vision of the Senate was as the

legislative body that safeguards the rights of states and minorities against mass opinion.

Besides lawmaking, Congress can

limit the power of the president. administer post offices. regulate currency.

With regard to representation, members of Congress

may speak for several constituencies.

Which of the following occurs every ten years after the U.S. census and determines how many seats a state receives in the House of Representatives?

reapportionment

The process of determining how many House seats each state is allowed as a result of population change since the last census is known as

reapportionment.

Which of the following describes the process by which members of Congress articulate and vote for the position that best reflects the views of their constituents?

representation

Redistricting

sometimes makes incumbency less important.

The Supreme Court ruled that majority-minority districting is illegal if the

state legislature redraws majority-minority districts at the expense of other concerns.

In the original version of the Constitution, members of the House were to be elected by the ______, while senators were to elected by ______

the citizenry; state legislatures

In the original version of the Constitution, members of the House were to be elected by the ______, while senators were to elected by ______.

the citizenry; state legislatures

With the widespread use of computer-driven mapmaking technology, congressional seats can be configured to ensure that

the majority of a district's population identifies with one party.

Which model of representation means that a legislator may act in opposition to the clear wishes of constituents, such as in cases where an action is for the good of society?

the trustee model

The power of taxation, among other powers, was given to Congress

to limit the power of the president. because it is more representative of the people.

Because it deals with , the Senate focuses more on foreign policy issues.

treaties

To reflect the variety of national and state interests, Congress

was made a bicameral institution.

Why is the Senate a more deliberative chamber than the House of Representatives?

The Senate's electoral terms are longer. The Senate has fewer members.

Which of the following describe ways that the media are a source of congressional power?

The media can create a favorable climate for the passage of legislation. The media can sway public opinion. The media provide congressional members with a forum with which to communicate with constituents.

House 1

1 .Taxation policies start in this chamber.

True or false: In any given election, two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives are up for reelection.

False

Senate 1

This chamber is more deliberative.

Gerrymandering is

a legal redrawing of political districts to benefit a specific political party.

Congress has a number of functions other than lawmaking. These include

1) Representing its constituents 2) Acting on presidential actions 3) Setting the national agenda

Members of the House of Representatives serve -year terms, while members of the Senate serve -year terms.

2 or two 6 or six

House 2

2. This chamber faces more frequent elections.

Congress gets its powers from sources other than the Constitution, including

American citizens. the media. Supreme Court decisions.

Which of the following statements about Congress and congressional representatives are true as a result of partisan redistricting?

Congress has become more politically polarized. House members are less likely to compromise with the opposition.

Because taxation was such an important power to the framers, they required that all taxation measures be granted to

Congress.

Which of the following describes the state of Supreme Court jurisprudence on the issue of gerrymandering?

Gerrymandering is unconstitutional only if it eliminates the minority party's influence statewide.

Because the framers placed great importance upon tax bills, they placed the responsibility with the

House of Representatives.