Smartboo 2.0 Chapters 5-8

With the aim of moving legislation quickly once it reaches the floor, the House has _____ rules.

complex

The major influences on how a lawmaker votes include ______.

constituents, political parties, congressional staffers, and the lawmaker's personal temperament

The governing authority for a county is the ______.

county board

Match the type of local government (on the left) with its definition (on the right).

county: the largest political subdivision of a state township: a unit of local government found in some states, usually a subdivision of a county municipality: any subdivision of a state, except a county special district: units of local government that deal with a specific function such as education, firefighting, trash removal, water purity and supply, or transportation

A state legislature is controlled by a particular political party. This party creates districts based on historical voting patterns, and this arrangement exaggerates the number of seats that the party will likely control in the House of Representatives. This is an example of ______.

gerrymandering

Members of Congress often say that the president ______.

has more ways to influence legislation than they do

The real work of crafting a bill takes place ______.

in committee

Lobbyists work to convince members of Congress to support policies favored by ______.

interest groups

Commerce among the states is called ______ commerce.

interstate

When a congressional committee receives a bill, the committee's general options are to ______ the bill.

kill, rewrite, amend, or recommend adoption of

Congress plays a vital role in raising money to run the government because Congress is the only branch of government that the Constitution empowers to ______.

levy taxes

A paid representative of an interest group is called a(n) ______.

lobbyist

Regions of the country that the census show have declined in population will ______ representatives through reapportionment.

lose

In times of emergency, Congress has given the president the power to seize property and declare _____ law.

martial

Divided government occurs when ______.

one party controls the White House while the other controls the Congress

City councils pass local laws known as ______.

ordinances

Political fund-raising organizations established by corporations, unions, and special interest groups are called ______.

political action committees (PACs)

When a member of Congress gets a law passed that specifically benefits his or her home district it is sometimes called ______.

pork-barrel legislation

Party membership on committees is usually ______ to each party's strength in each house.

proportionate

A plan of action adopted by government decision makers to solve a problem or reach a goal is called ______.

public policy

Impoundment occurs when a president ______.

refuses to spend money Congress has allocated to a program

One main reason that legislation can take much longer to move through the Senate than the House is that ______.

senators enjoy the right of unlimited debate

When both houses of Congress pass a bill, it must be ______ by the president before it can become law.

signed

Voters expect members of Congress to give priority to the needs of ______.

their home district

The Speaker of the House is ______ in line to the presidency.

third

The centerpiece of local government in New England towns—where citizens made laws, decided on taxes, and approved money for public projects—was called the ______.

town meeting

Members of the House of Representatives are elected for _____ -year terms.

two

Members of the House of Representatives are elected for ______ -year terms.

two

Congress can override a president's veto with a ______ vote in both houses.

two-thirds' majority

Nearly all Senate bills are brought to the floor by ______.

unanimous consent

In general, the historical events that have prompted shifts in the balance of power between Congress and the president have included ______.

wars, social and economic crises, and political scandals

To get on the ballot for the general election, candidates for state senate and state representative must first ______.

win a primary election

Although the president makes appointments to office, confirmation of those choices must come from the ______.

Senate

List the steps in the life cycle of a piece of legislation from top (beginning of the process) to bottom (end of the process).

1. The bill is introduced in the House 2. The Speaker of the House refers the bill to a committee 3. The committee votes on the bill 4. The bill is put one of the House calendars

Joint

A committee composed of members from both the House and the Senate, that acts as a study group, and reports back to the House or Senate on a topic or bill

Standing

A committee that continues from one legislative session to the next

Identify the true statements about how a bill is introduced in the House. (Check all that apply.)

A member of Congress drops the bill in a box called the hopper. As soon as the bill is introduced, it is given a title and a number and is then printed and distributed to lawmakers.

Select

A temporary committee created to study a specific issue and report its findings to the Senate or the House

Conference

A temporary committee set up when the House and Senate have passed different versions of the same bill in order to resolve the differences between the two versions

Identify the powers that the vice president has in the Senate.

Acting as president of the Senate Casting tie-breaking votes in the Senate Recognizing members of the Senate Putting questions to a vote

Identify the true statements about the president's role in the legislative process. (Check all that apply.)

After both houses of Congress pass a bill, it is sent to the president. The president can reject a bill by vetoing it, at which point the bill is sent back to Congress. A bill becomes law if the president signs it or keeps it for 10 days while Congress is in session without signing it.

What does the Speaker of the House do with a bill after it is introduced in the House?

Assign it to the proper committee

Match each type of bill on the left with its definition on the right.

Authorization Bill: A bill that sets up a federal program and specifies how much money can be used for it Appropriation Bill: A bill that grants the money necessary to pay for a government program

Direct democracy is a form of government in which ______.

citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives

The qualifications to be elected to the House of Representatives are to be at least _____ years old, be a citizen of the United States for at least _____ years, and be a legal resident of the _____that elects them.

Blank 1: 25 Blank 2: 7 Blank 3: state

United States senators must be at least _____years old, be citizens of the United States for_____ years before they are elected, and must be legal _____ of the state that they represent.

Blank 1: 30 Blank 2: 9 Blank 3: residents

The Constitution states that seats in the _____ of _____ must be divided among the states based upon each state's population.

Blank 1: House Blank 2: Representatives

The Vietnam War was costly and lost public support over time, so Congress passed the _____ _____ Act in an attempt to limit the power the president had to commit troops abroad.

Blank 1: War Blank 2: Powers

Before the government can spend money, Congress must pass laws to _____ money.

Blank 1: appropriate

Each house of Congress has its own _____ _____, which is dedicated to appropriations bills, and has a powerful influence on the budgets of government agencies.

Blank 1: appropriations Blank 2: committee

The process Congress follows to appropriate money consists of passing an _____ bill to create a federal program and passing an _____ bill to fund that program.

Blank 1: authorization Blank 2: appropriations

Either the president or Congress may propose legislation, but Congress submits all _____ passed to the president to either sign into law or _____.

Blank 1: bills Blank 2: veto

People can participate in a local school _____ meeting or a meeting of _____ government because local government is closer and welcomes input from members of the community.

Blank 1: board Blank 2: county

Every committee and subcommittee in Congress has a _____ _____ which is responsible for much of the work that goes into making laws.

Blank 1: committee Blank 2: staff

The form of government in which citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf is called _____ _____.

Blank 1: direct Blank 2: democracy

When one party controls the White House and the other party controls the House and Senate, it is called _____ government.

Blank 1: divided

Many states are attempting to balance their energy needs with the need to protect the _____ by carefully regulating their use of energy sources.

Blank 1: environment

The power to approve treaties, to declare war, to create and maintain an army and navy, and to regulate foreign commerce are the _____ _____ powers given to Congress by the Constitution.

Blank 1: foreign Blank 2: policy

Proponents of voter-ID laws argue that such laws are necessary to combat voter _____, whereas opponents of voter-ID laws argue that such laws are unnecessary and disproportionately impact poor and _____ voters who are less likely to have a photo ID.

Blank 1: fraud Blank 2: minority

The Constitution denies the following powers to Congress: suspending the writ of _____ corpus, passing bills of _____ and ex post facto laws, taxing _____, and a number of other powers.

Blank 1: habeas Blank 2: attainder Blank 3: exports

The House of Representatives has the power of _____, which is to formally accuse a federal official of misconduct in office.

Blank 1: impeachment

When a president refuses to spend money allocated by Congress for a particular program, it is called _____.

Blank 1: impoundment

The three types of congressional resolutions are _____ resolutions, _____ resolutions, and _____ resolutions.

Blank 1: joint Blank 2: simple Blank 3: concurrent

A bill must be introduced by a member of the _____, and if the bill passes, it is sent to the _____ for signature or veto.

Blank 1: legislature Blank 2: governor

The _____-_____ veto would allow the president to veto parts of bill while signing other parts into law.

Blank 1: line Blank 2: item

The majority of members of a standing committee are also members of the _____ party.

Blank 1: majority

In response to rising crime rates in the second half of the 20th century, many states passed laws requiring long _____ prison sentences. As a result, the prison population has grown by nearly _____ percent over the last few decades.

Blank 1: mandatory Blank 2: 800

A law at the local level is called an _____.

Blank 1: ordinance

Members of Congress vote with their _____ _____ most of the time.

Blank 1: political Blank 2: parties

The districts from which state legislators are elected have _____ that are roughly equal.

Blank 1: populations

In elections for the state legislature, candidates run in a _____ election to get on the ballot and then must win a plurality of votes in them _____ election.

Blank 1: primary Blank 2: general

The two types of congressional bills are _____ bills and _____ bills.

Blank 1: private Blank 2: public

What are the main tasks of a lawmaker's administrative assistant? (Check all that apply.)

Running the lawmaker's office Giving advice on political matters Dealing with influential constituents Supervising the lawmaker's schedule

Some states have created public charter schools, which don't have to follow all state _____ and can experiment with new ideas for teaching children; and other states have authorized the use of vouchers, which students can use to pay tuition at _____ schools.

Blank 1: regulations Blank 2: private

One of the main jobs of members of Congress is to _____ problems for their constituents and to obtain federal _____ for projects in their district.

Blank 1: solve Blank 2: money

The key resource of Congress is trained _____ that can help legislators accomplish their goals and meet their obligations.

Blank 1: staff

Congressional reapportionment occurs every _____ years and is based on the results of the most recent _____.

Blank 1: ten or 10 Blank 2: census

The duties that the president shares with Congress include making _____, paying the expenses of the government, and appointing federal officials and _____.

Blank 1: treaties Blank 2: judges

Many Native American populations have _____ governments, which are separate from but recognized by the ______ government.

Blank 1: tribal Blank 2: federal or national

Many Native American populations have _____ governments, which are separate from but recognized by the _____ government.

Blank 1: tribal Blank 2: national

A legislature that has one house is called _____, while a legislature that has two houses is called _____.

Blank 1: unicameral Blank 2: bicameral

In state legislatures, the _____ house is called the senate while the _____ house is often called the house of representatives.

Blank 1: upper Blank 2: lower

Identify the true statements about appropriations committees. (Check all that apply.)

Both the House and Senate have appropriations committees, which are dedicated to working on appropriations bills. Appropriations committees have a powerful influence on government agency budgets.

How are congressional investigations conducted? (Check all that apply.)

By scheduling witnesses By deploying staffers to do research By holding hearings By subpoenaing witnesses

Identify the ways in which the president can influence Congress to pass a bill he or she supports.

By supporting or opposing the legislative goals of members of Congress By making speeches and television appearances to persuade the public

Which of the following are characteristics of gerrymandering? (Check all that apply.)

Creating districts of very unequal population sizes Drawing district boundaries so as to exaggerate a political party's representation

Identify the duties or powers of standing committee chairs. (Check all that apply.)

Deciding what bills the committee considers Controlling staffing and budget Deciding when hearings will be held Deciding which witnesses will be called to testify for or against a bill Managing floor debates on bills that come from committee

Identify the powers of the Speaker of the House. (Check all that apply.)

Deciding which members to recognize in what order Appointing members to committees Being third in line to the presidency Scheduling bills for votes or referral to committee

6

Delegates or voting commissioners in the House of Representatives

Identify the sources of tension between Congress and the president. (Check all that apply.)

Differing political timetables The organization of Congress Checks and balances written into the Constitution Differing political constituencies Party politics

Identify the tasks handled by committee staff. (Check all that apply.).

Drafting bills Writing memos and preparing reports Negotiating with other staff on pending legislation Planning committee hearings Studying issues and collecting information

True or false: The goal of the complex rules of the House is to move legislation to the floor as quickly as possible.

False

True or false: There are 535 senators, representatives, and delegates in the U.S. Congress.

False

True or false: When deciding how to vote on legislation, lawmakers tend to favor their constituents needs and opinions in most matters, including foreign affairs.

False

435

House of Representatives

Identify the true statements about how state legislatures make and pass laws.

If a bill is passed by the legislature, it goes to the governor for his or her signature. A bill must be introduced by a member of the legislature. Conference committees work out differences in versions of a bill passed by the two houses of the legislature. A committee discusses the bill and sends it back to the legislature with a recommendation to pass the bill or not. A new bill is sent to a committee that specializes in the bill's subject matter.

Identify the true statements about the different forms of city and municipal government. (Check all that apply.)

In the mayor-council form of government, an elected city council serves as the legislature and the mayor is the chief executive. In the commission form of government, an elected commission has both legislative and executive power.

Identify the true statements about how citizens participate in local government.

It is easy for people to observe and participate in local government, such as school board meetings or meetings of county government. Participating in local government is easier than participating in other levels of government. Most local government organizations welcome input and participation from members of the community.

House

It meets in a relatively large room, has strict rules, and engages in time-limited debate.

Senate

It meets in a relatively small room, has flexible rules, and usually engages in unlimited debate.

Identify the true statements about pork-barrel legislation.

It often draws criticism. It benefits members of Congress by bringing money and jobs to their constituents. It is legislation designed to appropriate money for local federal projects.

Which of the following are standard types of committees? (Check all that apply.)

Select Standing Conference Joint

100

Senate

Match the type of resolution on the left with its definition on the right.

Joint resolution: a resolution passed in the same form by both houses Simple resolution: A resolution that covers matters affecting only one house of Congress and is passed by that house alone Concurrent resolution: A resolution that covers matters regarding the action of the House and Senate but on which a law is not needed

Which of the following account for why congressional staff has grown so much since the 1970s? (Check all that apply.)

Lawmaking became more complex. Constituent demands grew, causing a need for more congressional staff.

Which of the following is an example of checks and balances?

Legislative oversight

Match the congressional support agencies (on the left) with the services they provide to Congress and U.S. citizens (on the right).

Liberty of Congress: Administers copyright law and researches a broad variety of topics for Congress Congressional Budget Office: Coordinates the budget work of Congress and studies budget proposals Government Accountability Office: Acts as watchdog over how Congress spends money and answers questions from the public about specific programs Government Printing Office: Promotes transparency in government by making the Congressional Record, House and Senate bills, and other documents available online

Identify the true statements about the powers of state legislatures. (Check all that apply.)

Many state legislatures have the power to confirm executive appointments and impeach the governor and state judges. A state legislature derives its powers from the state constitution. A state legislature is empowered to pass laws for the state on almost any topic.

Match the form of city government with its description.

Mayor-council and council-manager: An elected city council serves as the legislative body for the city, and executive power rests with the mayor or city manager. Commission: The elected commission has both legislative and executive power, with commission members serving as the heads of city departments.

Which of the following are constitutional requirements for membership in the House of Representatives? (Check all that apply.)

Must be a U.S. citizen for at least seven years Must be at least 25 years old Must be a resident of the state that elects them

Which of the following are qualifications to be a U.S. senator? (Check all that apply.)

Must have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years Must be a legal resident of the relevant state Must be at least 30 years old

Identify the important nonlegislative duties of members of Congress. (Check all that apply.)

Obtaining money for federal projects in their district Solving problems for constituents who have had difficulties with federal agencies

Identify the types of bills that are introduced in Congress. (Check all that apply.)

Private bills, which deal with individual people or places Public bills, which involve general matters and apply to the entire nation

Identify the statements that accurately reflect the arguments for and against stricter voter-ID laws.

Proponents of voter-ID laws say such laws are necessary to prevent unauthorized people from voting. Opponents of voter-ID laws say that such laws unfairly impact poor and minority voters, who are less likely to be able to obtain a photo ID. Proponents of voter-ID laws say voter fraud is a real problem, and some states have responded by making it easier to obtain a photo ID.

Rank the three types of bills in the order they must be enacted to raise and spend money.

Revenue Bills Authorization Bills Appropriations Bills

Match each type of bill (in the left column) with its definition (in the right column).

Revenue Bills: A proposed law for raising funds Authorization Bills: A proposed law that establishes a program and designates a sum of money for that purpose Appropriations Bills: A proposed law that approves funds for a given purpose

Match each type of bill (in the left column) with its definition (in the right column).

Revenue bill: A proposed law for raising funds Appropriations bill: A proposed law that approves funds for a given purpose Authorization bill: A proposed law that approves funds for a given purpose

Identify the issues on which members of Congress tend to vote with their parties. (Check all that apply.)

Social welfare issues Economic issues

Identify the common types of local government in the United States.

Special districts Municipalities Counties Townships

Identify a special power Congress has when conducting an investigation.

Subpoena power

Which of the following types of presidential appointments tend to receive the most scrutiny from the Senate?

Supreme Court nominees

Identify the statement that best defines impeachment.

The House's formal accusation of misconduct in office by a federal official

Match the nonlegislative power of Congress (on the left) with its description (on the right).

The Removal Power: The power of Congress to impeach federal officials and remove them from office The Confirmation Power: The power of the Senate to approve presidential appointments to office The Ratification Power: The power of the Senate to ratify treaties with other nations The Amendment Power: The power of Congress (along with state legislatures) to propose amendments to the Constitution

Identify the options that a congressional committee has when it receives a bill. (Check all that apply.)

The committee can rewrite the bill or amend it. The committee can ignore the bill and let it "die." The committee chair may send the bill to a subcommittee. The committee can recommend that the full House adopt it as written. The committee can "kill" the bill by majority vote.

Identify the factors that influence how a lawmaker votes.

The concerns of special interest groups The positions of the political parties Appeals from the president The opinions of the voters

What are the nonlegislative powers of Congress?

The confirmation power The amendment power The ratification power The removal power

Identify the true statements about county government. (Check all that apply.)

The governing authority for a county is the county board, whose members are elected by the public. In most counties, the legislative branch of county government is separate from the executive branch. State law limits the legislative powers of county boards to things like deciding on the county budget, taxes, and zoning codes.

Identify the statement that describes legislative oversight.

The legislative branch's power to oversee executive branch activities

Which of the following would allow the president to veto parts of bill while signing other parts into law?

The line-item veto

Identify the true statements about how state legislatures are structured.

The lower house of a state legislature is called the house of representatives, house of delegates, state assembly, or legislative assembly. The upper house of a state legislature is called the senate. The presiding officer of the lower house is the speaker of the house, who is appointed by the majority party.

Identify the foreign policy powers that the Constitution grants to Congress. (Check all that apply.)

The power to declare war The power to approve treaties The power to regulate foreign commerce The power to create and maintain an army and navy

Identify the powers that the Constitution requires the executive and legislative branches to share. (Check all that apply.)

The power to pay the expenses of government The power to make treaties The power to appoint federal officials and judges

Identify the extra powers that Congress has given to the president in times of emergency. (Check all that apply.)

The power to seize property The power to declare martial law The power to control transportation and communications systems

What powers are denied to Congress? (Check all that apply.)

The power to tax exports The power to pass ex post facto laws The power to suspend the writ of habeas corpus The power to pass bills of attainder

What determines the number of representatives in the House per state?

The size of a state's population

Identify the true statements about political action committees (PACs). (Check all that apply.)

They can donate money to individual candidates' reelection campaigns and to party organizations. They raise money to support lawmakers who agree with their positions on certain issues.

Identify the true statements about blanket primaries. (Check all that apply.)

They take place in California, Louisiana, and Washington. All candidates run in the primary, regardless of party, and the two candidates who win the most votes move on to the general election.

Under what circumstances may the vice president vote in the Senate?

To break a tie

What are the purposes of congressional committees?

To inform the public about key problems and issues facing the nation To divide the work of Congress into smaller groups, so as to make good use of lawmakers who are specialists in specific issues To decide which bills will be given further consideration

Identify the purposes of town meetings in New England.

Town meetings allowed citizens to participate directly in lawmaking, deciding on taxes, and approving money for public projects. Town meetings were held so citizens could elect selectmen to administer the government between town meetings.

Identify the true statements about tribal governments. (Check all that apply.)

Tribal governments serve Native American populations in many states. Tribal governments levy taxes, pass laws, and operate court systems. Tribal governments are separate from but recognized by the federal government.

Match each type of legislature (on the left) with its definition (on the right).

Unicameral legislature: A legislature with one house Bicameral legislature: A legislature with two houses

Identify the true statements about Congress's role in raising money to run the government. (Check all that apply.)

Usually, only a few lawmakers take part in floor debates of bills. During floor debate, a clerk reads a bill section by section and members of Congress can offer amendments to each section once it's read.

Congress passed the ______ because they believed that the Constitution did not intend for the president to have the power that resulted in the Vietnam War.

War Powers Act

Which events changed the balance of power between the executive and the legislative branches?

Watergate Reconstruction The Civil War

Identify the responsibilities that legislative assistants have.

Writing speeches and articles Doing research Attending meetings Drafting bills

The main purpose of a floor debate is to allow members of Congress to ______.

add amendments to the bill

Each lawmaker has one ______ who serves as chief of staff and runs the office, supervises schedules, and gives advice on political matters.

administrative assistant

Members of the state legislature are elected from legislative districts, ______.

all of which have roughly equal populations

The power to approve government spending is known as ______.

appropriation

If Congress overrides the president's veto of a bill, the bill ______.

becomes law without the president's signature

The United States Congress is a _____ legislature, because it consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

bicameral

The legislative branch of the United States is made up of two houses; therefore, it is called a ______ legislature.

bicameral

A primary in which all candidates compete, regardless of party, and the top two vote getters move on to the general election is called a ______.

blanket primary

Unanimous consent means that ______.

both parties have agreed to a legislative action and no one objects

The congressional leaders who decide when committees will meet, which bills they will consider and when, which witnesses to call, and which staff to hire are the ______.

chairpersons of the standing committees

A bill is introduced in the House when a member of Congress ______.

drops it in a box called the hopper

The most fundamental source of tension between the president and Congress is ______.

due to the checks and balances that are built into the separation of powers system

In Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court's ruling changed the Voting Rights Act by allowing some states and counties to ______.

enact voter-ID requirements without federal government permission

Most committee work is actually performed by ______.

staffers

Once a president vetoes a bill, that bill is ______.

stalled unless Congress can override the veto

A state legislature derives its power from the ______.

state constitution

The governments that have been most active in legislating about environmental use and protection are ______.

state governments

Interstate commerce is commerce taking place among ______.

states

In general, legislative assistants are responsible for making sure that lawmakers are well informed about ______.

the bills they must deal with