Government Alive Chapters 11 and 12 lesson game

State legislators A. receive the same pay as members of Congress. B. are paid much less than members of Congress. C. earn much more than members of Congress. D. are not paid because they volunteer their time.

B. are paid much less than members of Congress.

The Constitution declared that war-making powers A. belong to Congress alone. B. are shared between Congress and the president. C. belong to the Department of Defense. D. are granted exclusively to the president.

B. are shared between Congress and the president.

Unofficial groups formed by Congress to pursue particular goals and interests are called A. constituents and representatives. B. caucuses and coalitions. C. majority and minority whips. D. standing and select committees.

B. caucuses and coalitions.

What does it mean when lawmakers secure large amounts of pork? A. They have made many mistakes because they are inexperienced legislators. B. They have won federally-funded projects for their home districts. C. They have been found guilty of accepting bribes in exchange for votes. D. They have little or no hope of winning the next election.

B. They have won federally-funded projects for their home districts.

Why is it difficult for Congress to override a presidential veto? A. A full two-thirds of the members of each house must vote in favor of saving the legislation. B. Members of Congress rarely wish to acknowledge publicly that they oppose the president. C. Voters want the Congress and the president to work together all the time. D. all of the above

A. A full two-thirds of the members of each house must vote in favor of saving the legislation.

What is the difference between debates in the House and Senate? A. Debates in the House have strict time limits, but those in the Senate do not. B. Each House member must speak in each debate, but Senators may choose not to. C. Debates in the Senate are televised, but debates in the House are not. D. House members may use filibusters to block a bill, while Senators may not.

A. Debates in the House have strict time limits, but those in the Senate do not

Why do some people advocate term limits for state legislators? A. They believe new legislators are closer to their constituents. B. They feel that term limits restrict the choices available to voters. C. They think that government is more efficient with inexperienced legislators. D. They want to save money by having a frequent turnover of legislators.

A. They believe new legislators are closer to their constituents.

Based on informal qualifications lawmakers are expected to meet today, a person with which of the following qualities is most likely to become a lawmaker? A. a college degree and a background in business or law B. degrees from agricultural colleges and employment in agriculture C. doctoral degrees and careers in colleges or universities D. a high school education and experience only in politics

A. a college degree and a background in business or law

A bill can become law only after A. both houses of Congress agree on the bill. B. the bill is judged constitutional by the Supreme Court. C. a majority of American voters approve the bill. D. the bill receives a unanimous vote by the House.

A. both houses of Congress agree on the bill.

In which type of state legislature do members spend about half of their time as lawmakers? A. citizen legislatures B. professional legislatures C. hybrid legislatures D. all of the above

A. citizen legislatures

To reward a loyal party member, the leader of that party may A. give him or her a desirable committee assignment. B. offer him or her a substantial bonus in pay. C. relieve him or her of the obligation to sit on a committee. D. assign him or her to a less prestigious committee.

A. give him or her a desirable committee assignment.

What is the path of a bill through a subcommittee? A. hearings, markup, report B. report, markup, hearings C. hearings, debate, vote D. debate, hearings, rep

A. hearings, markup, report

Once a bill is sent to a committee, the chair may choose to ignore it or to A. hold hearings on it. B. sign it into law. C. submit it for debate before the full House or Senate. D. send it directly to the president for approval.

A. hold hearings on it.

The Constitution assigns a position in Congress to the vice president. That position is A. president of the Senate. B. majority leader of the House. C. speaker of the House. D. chair of the Joint Economic Committee.

A. president of the Senate

Why is the House Rules Committee so powerful? A. It has the authority to approve bills without input from the rest of the House. B. It controls how quickly or slowly a bill moves through the House. C. It has the right to override the guidelines for debate set by the speaker. D. It determines the salaries of all House and Senate members.

B. It controls how quickly or slowly a bill moves through the House.

What happens after the House or Senate passes a bill? A. It goes into effect as law immediately. B. It goes to the other chamber for approval. C. It goes to a subcommittee in the same chamber for hearings. D. It goes directly to the president for approval.

B. It goes to the other chamber for approval.

Apportionment is the process of... A. approving key officials appointed to office by the president. B. dividing the House seats among the states according to each state's population. C. ironing out the differences between two versions of a bill passed by the House and Senate. D. pushing through a project whose funding comes from the federal treasury.

B. dividing the House seats among the states according to each state's population.

The Senate adopted the cloture rule to allow Senators to A. prolong debates for the purpose of blocking legislation. B. end a filibuster and continue consideration of a bill. C. speak in a debate without being recognized by the majority leader. D. add a number of riders to proposed legislation.

B. end a filibuster and continue consideration of a bill.

The power of recognition, held by both the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader, is the authority to A. control the delaying tactics used to block the passage of a bill favored by the majority. B. grant permission to a member to speak during a debate. C. banish unruly members from the chamber during a debate. D. suspend active debate to allow for private discussions.

B. grant permission to a member to speak during a debate.

Today, committee chairs are chosen A. on the basis of seniority alone. B. on the basis of seniority, political skill, and other factors. C. by the senior leaders of the minority party. D. by the voters during the general election.

B. on the basis of seniority, political skill, and other factors.

The first day of a new Congress A. begins with a vote on the new budget. B. opens with a series of swearing-in ceremonies. C. starts with a traditional congressional breakfast. D. commences with a series of committee meetings.

B. opens with a series of swearing-in ceremonies.

Assignments to certain standing committees, such as Appropriations or Budget, are highly sought after because A. their members meet with the president more often. B. they control the federal purse strings. C. their members receive more pay. D. they meet very rarely.

B. they control the federal purse strings.

Which statement about state legislatures is true? A. New York is the only state with a bicameral, or two-house, legislature. B. All states have bicameral legislatures. C. Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral, or one-house, legislature. D. Forty-nine states have unicameral legislatures, and 51 have bicameral legislatures.

C. Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral, or one-house, legislature.

Which lawmakers must be at least 30 years old and U.S. citizens for at least nine years? A. U.S. House members B. school board members C. U.S. Senators D. state legislators

C. US Senators

After a bill passes through the joint conference committee, it goes to A. the House, where it may be revised or added to. B. the White House for the president to sign. C. both the House and Senate for an up-or-down vote. D. a subcommittee for further hearings.

C. both the House and Senate for an up-or-down vote.

The assistant floor leaders in the House who keep the leadership informed and persuade party members to vote along party lines are called the A. majority and minority leaders. B. presidents pro tempore. C. majority and minority whips. D. speakers of the House.

C. majority and minority whips.

Constituents, interest groups, party leaders, and colleagues A. decide who gets the most desirable committee assignments. B. determine the seniority ranking of each member of the House and Senate. C. place pressure on legislators to support or oppose certain bills. D. interpret the rules of debate in the House and Senate.

C. place pressure on legislators to support or oppose certain bills.

Which of the following powers can Congress use to check the power of the judicial branch? A. overriding a veto of legislation B. ratifying treaties C. proposing an amendment to the Constitution D. overseeing executive agencies

C. proposing an amendment to the Constitution

One example of a permanent committee in Congress is a A. select committee. B. conference committee. C. standing committee. D. special committee.

C. standing committee.

Congressional committees get assistance from staff members. What other organizations help them? A. constituents B. special committees C. support agencies D. caucuses

C. support agencies

How is Congress different than bicameral legislatures in most countries? A. Senators are still elected by state legislatures, not by the people. B. The House and the Senate are identical in size and structure. C. Congress has only a single legislative chamber. D. The two houses of Congress are equal in power.

D. The two houses of Congress are equal in power.

What do legislators do when they take on casework? A. They analyze cases that are under appeal to the Supreme Court. B. They appropriate the money that the government needs for federal projects. C. They authorize military action by issuing an official statement from both houses of Congress. D. They help their constituents solve problems that involve the federal government.

D. They help their constituents solve problems that involve the federal government.

You are a new House member. You represent your district by responding directly to the needs of your constituents. This means that you see your job as A. a majority whip. B. an incumbent. C. a trustee. D. a delegate.

D. a delegate.

What is a Christmas tree bill? A. a popular bill whose purpose is to protect the environment B. a controversial bill that brings the legislative process to a halt C. a frivolous bill designed to distract members from more important legislation D. a must-pass bill to which a large number of riders has been attached

D. a must-pass bill to which a large number of riders has been attached

Once a bill is delivered to the White House, the president has 10 days (not counting Sundays) to A. sign it into law. B. veto it. C. take no action, allowing the bill to become law without the president's signature. D. all of the above

D. all of the above

What do party committees do? A. research broad policy questions for their own political party B. consider strategies for the upcoming legislative session C. nominate their party members to serve on standing committees D. all of the above

D. all of the above

What happens at each of the first party caucuses or conferences? A. Congressional leaders are elected. B. Party committees are formed. C. Members are nominated for standing committees. D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Where may a bill originate? A. executive branch departments B. individual citizens and interest groups C. executive branch agencies D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Unlike other legislation, tax bills can originate A. in either the House or Senate. B. only in the Senate. C. in the executive branch. D. only in the House.

D. only in the House

Who helps members of Congress with a variety of tasks, including answering constituents' questions, writing speeches, and drafting bills? A. conference committees B. committee staff members C. standing committees D. personal staff members

D. personal staff members

What does a joint conference committee do? A. delay legislation opposed by House and Senate leaders until the bill dies B. introduce new legislation into the House and Senate at the same time C. hold hearings to gather information before a bill is marked up D. work out a compromise between House and Senate versions of the same bill

D. work out a compromise between House and Senate versions of the same bill