Gov Cengage Exam 2

President Trump signed more executive orders than any other recent president in his first 100 days in office. Some notable ones were to reverse the Affordable Care Act and ban admission to the U.S. for a range of immigrants and refugees. These instructions do not require congressional approval. This exemplifies the power of the president to issue a. executive privileges. b. entitlement programs. c. presidential directives. d. vetoes

c. presidential directives.

What percentage of votes is necessary for Congress (both chambers) to override a presidential veto? a. Half b. One-fourth c. Three-fourths d. Two-thirds

d. Two-thirds

Which case indicated that the president's power of executive privilege is not absolute? a. McCulloch v. Maryland b. Bush v. Gore c. Wickard v. Filburn d. United States v. Nixon

d. United States v. Nixon

What nation is the largest shareholder in the World Bank? a. China b. Germany c. United States d. Russia

c. United States

Which scandal led to the resignation of Richard Nixon? a. Whitewater b. Iran-Contra c. Watergate d. Cold War

c. Watergate

What is the minimum age for a House of Representatives member and a U.S senator, respectively? a. 25; 30 b. 30; 35 c. 21; 25 d. 18; 21

a. 25; 30

Which section of the Constitution gave the president the power of appointment and helped lay the foundations of the modern bureaucracy? a. Article II b. Article IV c. Article III d. Article I

a. Article II

How do freshman congress members typically choose their committee assignments? a. Based upon the needs of their district or state b. By polling their constituents and determining on which committee they want representation c. By choosing a mentor and joining his or her committee d. Based upon national issues on the public radar

a. Based upon the needs of their district or state

Prior to the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, how were senators elected? a. By selection from members of state legislatures b. By state citizens in elections c. By selection from the major political parties d. By presidential nomination

a. By selection from members of state legislatures

Which countries actively participate in the North American Free Trade Agreement?

a. Canada, Mexico, and the United States

Which president appointed the first chief of staff? a. Dwight D. Eisenhower b. Franklin Delano Roosevelt c. John F. Kennedy d. Lyndon B. Johnson

a. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Which U.S.-government funded organization, established in 1961, sends individuals on educational and cultural missions around the globe? a. Peace Corps b. Teach for America c. United Nations d. Voice of America

a. Peace Corps

In 2012, the Washington Post reported that a Georgia congressman secured $6.3 million in taxpayer money to replenish a beach close to his vacation home. Similarly, a Michigan representative secured $486,000 to build a bike lane near her home. While the ethics behind these actions are questionable, they are legal. What type of funding projects are these congresspeople using? a. Earmarks b. Omnibus bills c. Block grants d. Reconciliations

a. Earmarks

Which first lady showed her support for civil rights by arranging for the first African American opera singer to perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial? a. Eleanor Roosevelt b. Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy c. Betty Ford d. Lady Bird Johnson

a. Eleanor Roosevelt

Which federal organization issues regulations and creates policy like reducing waste and chemical risks, protecting U.S. water supplies, and limiting emissions from coal-fired plants? a. Environmental Protection Agency b. National Park Service c. National Transportation Safety Board d. Department of Agriculture

a. Environmental Protection Agency

What policy encourages the exchange of goods between countries with the requirement that working conditions and wages be comparable between the two countries?

a. Fair trade

What describes government use of taxing and spending as a method of intervening in the economy?

a. Fiscal policy

Which description best depicts whistleblowers? a. Individuals who report mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their agencies b. Members of Congress who have oversight authority over agencies that are mismanaged c. Members of the executive branch who referee disputes between two or more agencies when there is conflict d. Regulators who have authority to shut down businesses that do not comply with federal standards

a. Individuals who report mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their agencies

A pregnant woman whose family income falls below the U.S. federal poverty level needs an ultrasound and other forms of prenatal care. To which program can she turn?

a. Medicaid

Pursuant to the War Powers Act, how many days may the president send troops into military conflict without an official declaration of war or authorization from Congress? a. No more than 90 b. No more than 30 c. No more than 60 d. No more than 120

a. No more than 90

What is the Federal Register? a. Official record of government regulations b. Washington D.C. newspaper that reports on social events c. Political think tank d. List of politicians that have served in office since the signing of the Constitution

a. Official record of government regulations

In June 2018, the White House announced that the president exonerated the prison sentence of two Oregon cattle ranchers who started fires that damaged federal lands. What power is the president using? a. Pardon b. Expunge c. Excoriate d. Commute

a. Pardon

Which group is comprised of experienced personnel the president assigns to senior management positions throughout the federal bureaucracy? a. Senior Executive Service b. Civil Service Commission c. Schedule C appointees d. Foreign Service

a. Senior Executive Service

What are the terms of office in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, respectively? a. Six; two b. Four; six c. Eight; four d. Two; four

a. Six; two

What authority given to Congress has been the most instrumental in expanding its power relative to the other branches of government? a. Taxation and appropriation b. Appointments and treaties c. Regulation of commerce d. War powers

a. Taxation and appropriation

What determines the amount of Social Security retired workers receive?

a. The amount of time they worked while paying into the program

Who nominates the board of governors that leads the Federal Reserve System?

a. The president

Which amendment set the eligibility requirements for vice president? a. Twelfth b. Tenth c. Fifth d. Second

a. Twelfth

Who can break a tie vote in the Senate? a. Vice president b. President c. Speaker of the House d. Senate majority leader

a. Vice president

In July 2017, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. This judicial nomination required the approval by two-thirds of the Senate in a Congressional power known as a. advice and consent. b. pocket veto. c. judicial review. d. impeachment.

a. advice and consent.

Congress may remove judges and executive officials from office via a. impeachment. b. pocket veto. c. advice and consent. d. gerrymandering.

a. impeachment.

Because a president in his second term cannot seek reelection, he is commonly referred to as a(n) a. lame duck. b. omnibus c. bully pulpit. d. privileged executive.

a. lame duck.

Because he came across well on television, Ronald Reagan is referred to as a. the "Great Communicator." b. "Mr. Nice Guy." c. the "Man of the People." d. the "Comeback Kid."

a. the "Great Communicator."

Most congressional powers are listed in which section of the Constitution? a. Article II, Section 1 b. Article I, Section 8 c. Article I, Section 2 d. Article III, Section 1

b. Article I, Section 8

Congress can hold the bureaucracy accountable through which two powers that allow it to evaluate federal agencies and withhold funds if there are dissatisfactions? a. Evaluation and implementation b. Authorization and appropriation c. Intervention and organization d. Interpretation and approval

b. Authorization and appropriation

Who controls the flow of staff and paperwork, focuses the president's attention on key issues, monitors the coherence of presidential policies across cabinet departments, serves as a referee for disagreements among senior staff members, and forms bridges between the president and Congress? a. Vice president b. Chief of staff c. Majority whip d. Speaker of the House

b. Chief of staff

What determines the presidential order of succession? a. Supreme Court b. Constitution c. Popular vote d. Vote by current Congress

b. Constitution

The Department of Homeland Security was created to purportedly remedy the lack of coordination among the nation's national security and disaster relief agencies. The new department consolidated several key units that had been operating independently and created new intelligence offices that would try to serve as bridges between the FBI and the CIA. Which component of a bureaucracy was this change meant to fix? a. Expertise b. Culture c. Decision-making process d. Mission

b. Culture

Which program was meant to help children who entered the country illegally with their parents gain citizenship if they met certain requirements?

b. DREAM Act

he Department of Justice, the Department of State, and which other department share jurisdiction over immigration policy?

b. Department of Homeland Security

Which office was created to implement the 1970 Clean Air Act?

b. Environment Protection Agency (EPA)

In the summer of 2017, Connecticut senator Christopher S. Murphy took control of the Senate floor for 15 hours in an attempt to force the majority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, to allow votes on Democrats' amendments to an annual bill that sought to tighten U.S. gun laws. In what tactic is Murphy engaging? a. Unanimous consent b. Filibuster c. Gerrymander d. Cloture

b. Filibuster

Which act was created in response to the mistrust of the federal government that grew out of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal? a. Voting Rights b. Government in the Sunshine c. Economic Stabilization d. Freedom of Information

b. Government in the Sunshine

Which case blocked the Bush administration from denying habeas corpus privileges to an enemy combatant who was a U.S. citizen? a. Marbury v. Madison b. Hamdi v. Rumsfeld c. McCulloch v. Maryland d. Michaels v. Guantanamo

b. Hamdi v. Rumsfeld

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 prompted the creation of which department? a. Interior b. Homeland Security c. Veterans Affairs d. Defense

b. Homeland Security

Fabio, a 44-year-old, was born in Italy but immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was only 4 years old. He has been living here most of his life and does have U.S. citizenship. Can he attain the office of U.S. president a. Yes, he is older than 35. b. No, he is not a natural-born citizen. c. Yes, he has lived in the country for almost his entire life and is a U.S. citizen. d. No, he must be older than 45.

b. No, he is not a natural-born citizen.

In 1952, Oregon was the first state to issue comprehensive legislation concerning air pollution. From then on, other states began implementing similar legislations. This example demonstrates what process?

b. Policy diffusion

The first step in the policy process, where there is recognition that something might warrant government action, is known as what?

b. Problem identification

To which collective body does unanimous consent apply? a. House and the Senate b. Senate c. Congress, president, and judiciary d. House

b. Senate

What program provides low-income individuals with a subsidy for food that is funded through general taxation?

b. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Federal employees who have connections to politically powerful people, who have participated in other presidential administrations, and/or who carry out the president's political and partisan agenda are called a. merit system employees. b. political appointees. c. career civil servants. d. executive employees.

b. political appointees.

When a president signs a bill into law, he can issue written remarks that reflect his interpretation of the law that are not required or authorized by the Constitution. These remarks are called a. pocket vetoes. b. signing statements. c. executive orders. d. executive privileges.

b. signing statements

The only way to stop a filibuster is by invoking cloture, a motion to end debate that requires a supermajority. How many senators constitute a supermajority? a. 25 b. 75 c. 60 d. 10

c. 60

Who are the president's key advisers responsible for carrying out federal policies for areas under their jurisdictions? a. Senate b. Supreme Court c. Cabinet d. Pentagon

c. Cabinet

What is the primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act (aka. Obamacare)?

c. Extend health insurance coverage to uninsured Americans

Where does the government maintain official records of all executive branch rules, regulations, and orders?

c. Federal Register

The president's tenure was limited to two terms following which president's election to a fourth term? a. Ronald Reagan b. Lyndon Johnson c. Franklin Roosevelt d. Teddy Roosevelt

c. Franklin Roosevelt

Which president's program, known as the New Deal, was designed to address problems associated with the Great Depression? a. Herbert Hoover b. Barack Obama c. Franklin Roosevelt d. Harry Truman

c. Franklin Roosevelt

Lyndon Johnson's federal social welfare programs became known as the a. New Deal. b. Cold War. c. Great Society. d. Contract with America.

c. Great Society.

Where do bills concerning raising revenue originate? a. Executive Branch b. Supreme Court c. House of Representatives d. Senate

c. House of Representatives

What is the primary disadvantage to the hierarchical decision-making process that exists within the federal bureaucracy? a. It fails to ensure that policies are administered equally. b. It blocks governmental transparency. c. It can present an obstacle to speedy decision making. d. It often results in uninformed decisions.

c. It can present an obstacle to speedy decision making.

Which Supreme Court case established judicial review whereby laws could be declared unconstitutional? a. Wickard v. Filburn b. McCulloch v. Maryland c. Marbury v. Madison d. Bush v. Gore

c. Marbury v. Madison

"The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the principal Federal agency responsible for programs concerned with the Nation's housing needs, fair housing opportunities, and improvement and development of the Nation's communities...It takes steps to encourage a strong private sector housing industry that can produce affordable housing; and to stimulate private sector initiatives, public/private sector partnerships, and public entrepreneurship." What is this formal summary that agencies like HUD offer to the general public called? a. Constitution b. Preamble c. Mission d. Handbook

c. Mission

Which department or agency is responsible for promoting road safety by trying to limit drunk driving? a. Transportation Management Service b. Environmental Protection Agency c. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration d. Department of Health and Human Services

c. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 led to the creation of which agency? a. Environmental Protection Agency b. Internal Revenue Service c. Office of Personnel Management d. Interstate Commerce Commission

c. Office of Personnel Management

Who is ultimately responsible for the policy decisions that come out of a federal department? a. Deputy secretary b. Assistant secretary c. Secretary d. Bureau chief

c. Secretary

What authority or role does the president have regarding the judicial system? a. The appointment all federal judges, including supreme court justices b. The nomination and removal of federal judges, including Supreme Court justices c. The nomination of judges in the federal judicial system, including supreme court justices d. No authority or role

c. The nomination of judges in the federal judicial system, including supreme court justices

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the president could not seize domestic property when the U.S. was at war abroad? a. American Title Company v. Davis b. Mapp v. Ohio c. Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer d. Wickard v. Filburn

c. Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer

Members of Congress may send mail to their constituents free of charge. This is called a. gerrymandering. b. bulk mailing. c. franking. d. pork-barreling

c. franking.

Who was the first president to have impeachment charges brought against him? a. Grover Cleveland b. Bill Clinton c. Richard Nixon d. Andrew Johnson

d. Andrew Johnson

In 2010, which state passed a law allowing police officers to inquire about immigration status when individuals were stopped for another police inquiry?

d. Arizona

During which war did nations align themselves either with democracy or communism? a. Spanish-American War b. World War II c. World War I d. Cold War

d. Cold War

During the moments following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush instructed his vice president to force any suspicious planes in U.S. airspace to land immediately. If the pilots did not comply, Bush ordered the planes to be shot down. Which role of the presidency is Bush fulfilling? a. Chief executive b. Chief diplomat c. Chief legislator d. Commander in chief

d. Commander in chief

Who exercises power of the purse to keep the bureaucracy accountable and responsive? a. President b. Vice president c. Cabinet d. Congress

d. Congress

Who is responsible for formulating foreign policy using nonmilitary methods? a. Homeland Security b. Department of Defense c. Attorney General d. Department of State

d. Department of State

The federal bureaucracy is a collection of departments, agencies, boards, and commissions that carry out the responsibilities of the federal government for which group? a. Judicial branch b. Legislative branch c. Congressional committees d. Executive branch

d. Executive branch

In 1966, which act established a procedure by which ordinary citizens could directly request nonclassified reports from the federal government for a nominal fee? a. General Services Administration b. Government in the Sunshine c. Government Accountability d. Freedom of Information

d. Freedom of Information

Which political body is subject to redistricting, or the redrawing of the boundaries of congressional districts in a state to make them approximately equal in population size? a. Senate b. Congress c. Supreme Court d. House of Representatives

d. House of Representatives

Which major controversy marred the presidency of Ronald Reagan? a. Watergate b. Whitewater c. Cold War d. Iran-Contra scandal

d. Iran-Contra scandal

Which program provides health insurance for people over the age of 65 and the disabled?

d. Medicare

Who was the first female Speaker of the House? a. Jan Brewer b. Hillary Clinton c. Jeanette Rankin d. Nancy Pelosi

d. Nancy Pelosi

In 1970, what was created to discourage the development of nuclear weapons technology? a. United Nations b. Truman Doctrine c. Nuclear Test Ban Treaty d. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

d. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Which office has final authority over the federal budget? a. Internal Revenue Service b. Securities and Exchange Commission c. U.S. Department of Treasury d. Office of Management and Budget

d. Office of Management and Budget

In the early days of government, civil service jobs were given to those who pledged their loyalty to the president. What was this early system called? a. Merit b. Civil servant c. Nonprofit d. Patronage

d. Patronage

Signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur in 1883, the first reform that helped slowly change the federal bureaucracy from a corrupt, partisan insider organization to a neutral, policy-based organization is known as the a. Office of Personnel Management. b. Government in the Sunshine Act. c. General Services Administration. d. Pendleton Act.

d. Pendleton Act

What set of laws regulates political and social life in order to meet a need or accomplish a goal

d. Public policy

What were the layer of federal employees President Eisenhower appointed to oversee civil service employees? a. Civil Service appointees b. Senior Executive Service c. Oversight Committee appointees d. Schedule C appointees

d. Schedule C appointees

Which is the top leadership position in the House of Representatives? a. Majority whip b. President pro tempore c. Committee chairman d. Speaker of the House

d. Speaker of the House

Which type of congressional committee is permanent and reports to the full chamber? a. Special b. Joint c. Select d. Standing

d. Standing

What were the first three departments created by Congress in 1789? a. State, Agriculture, and Education b. State, Agriculture, and Interior c. State, Justice, and Treasury d. State, Treasury, and War

d. State, Treasury, and War

Why did the Framers establish Congress as a bicameral institution? a. To limit members of Congress to only two terms b. To increase efficiency and the speed by which Congress could operate c. To increase the power of Congress relative to the other branches d. To allow each chamber to check each other's power

d. To allow each chamber to check each other's power

Why was the Department of the Interior established? a. To negotiate agreements among different independent agencies b. To oversee border disputes with Canada and Mexico c. To handle the design and remodeling of the White House d. To regulate the sale of federal lands and the management of Indian affairs

d. To regulate the sale of federal lands and the management of Indian affairs

In recent sessions, how do the House and Senate compare demographically to the U.S. population? a. Women and ethnic minorities make up similar percentages in the House and Senate as their percentages in the U.S. population. b. Ethnic minorities make up about the same percentages in the House and Senate as their percentages in the U.S. population, but women are underrepresented. c. Women make up about the same percentage in the House and Senate as their percentage of the total population, but ethnic minorities are underrepresented. d. Women and ethnic minorities make up smaller percentages in the House and Senate than their percentages in the overall U.S. population.

d. Women and ethnic minorities make up smaller percentages in the House and Senate than their percentages in the overall U.S. population.

The League of Nations is a provision of a treaty that ended which war? a. World War II b. The Spanish-American War c. The Cold War d. World War I

d. World War I

The president directs all war efforts and military conflict under the title a. chief diplomat. b. chief of state. c. chief of staff. d. commander in chief.

d. commander in chief.

The Framers wanted to make sure the president followed the intent of Congress, but they gave him wide discretion in how he carried out the laws. In Article II, Section 3, they gave him the power to "take Care that the Laws be a. morally applied." b. legally administered." c. summarily discharged." d. faithfully executed."

d. faithfully executed."

The way members of Congress portray themselves to constituents is known as a. reconciliation. b. pork-barrel politics. c. personal politics. d. home style.

d. home style.

Government seeks public policy that

d. maximizes benefits and minimizes costs.

The president may wait for Congress to go out of session and simply not sign a bill. This decision is called a(n) a. executive agreement. b. tabling of the bill. c. override. d. pocket veto.

d. pocket veto.

Redrawing district boundaries so most voters in a district favor one party is called a. redistricting. b. franking. c. electioneering. d. gerrymandering.

d.gerrymandering