2.1 Congress

Which of the following is true according to the diagram? A) Unlike the House of Representatives, the Senate does not recognize political parties. B) The Speaker of the House, in coordination with the House majority leader, appoints the House minority leader. C) Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips. D) The Senate minority leader is as powerful as the Senate majority whip.

Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the information in the line graph? A)In 2000 entitlement spending passed defense spending as a share of the federal budget. b)Entitlement spending has steadily become a larger portion of the federal budget. c)Between 1980 and 2000, defense spending increased faster than entitlement spending. d)Defense spending has consistently been a larger part of the federal budget than entitlement spending.

Entitlement spending has steadily become a larger portion of the federal budget.

different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty. George Washington's Farewell Address, 1796 Which of the following scenarios illustrates Washington's concerns? ​ A) Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock. B)Members of the press fail to report on the illegal activities of certain members of the bureaucracy. C) Federalism can lead to different public policy outcomes between states. D) An increasing number of voters are not turning out to vote in elections.

Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock.

Questions 4 and 5 refer to the map below. The map shows the outline of a congressional district. Which of the following statements best explains the motivation behind the way in which it is drawn? ​ A)It has been drawn by a political party to group together moderate voters. B) It has been drawn cooperatively by both political parties to ensure a fair election. C)It has likely been drawn to pack together voters who are registered with the same party. D) has been drawn to group together diverse voters to foster highly competitive elections.

It has likely been drawn to pack together voters who are registered with the same party.

Questions 4 and 5 refer to the map below. Which of the following is a consequence of the way the district is drawn on the map? A)It will lead to a seat that will be occupied by a member of a third party. B) It will likely lead to a highly contentious and competitive election. C) It will likely lead to a less competitive general election, which could lead to increased partisanship. D) It will lead to very high turnout in the election.

It will likely lead to a less competitive general election, which could lead to increased partisanship.

The trend shown in the chart contributed to which the following in the 1980's? A)Passage of the Budget and Impoundment Control Act B)Persistently high inflation rates C)More equal distribution of income D)Rising federal deficits

Rising federal deficits

Which of the following is a unique power held by members of the Senate? ​ A) The ability to filibuster B) Control of the appropriations process C) The ability to impeach the president D) Control of the veto

The ability to filibuster

1/ 1 Senator Smith votes her conscience on bills that her constituents care little about, but she votes according to the wishes of the majority of her constituents on other bills. Which model of representation do her actions embody? A) The trustee model B) The politico model C) The delegate model D)The majoritarian model

The politico model

1/ 1 Which of the following enumerated powers would permit Congress to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed citizens? A)The power to create immigration policies B) The power to regulate interstate commerce C) The power of legislative oversight D) The power to pass a federal budget

The power to pass a federal budget

Which of the following constitutional provisions broadened the power of Congress? a. The necessary and proper clause b. The equal protection clause c. The Tenth Amendment d. The Ninth Amendment

a. The necessary and proper clause

Which of the following policies involves more state spending than federal spending? a. Social security b. Education c. Medicare d. Veterans affairs

b. Education

Congress enacted the presidential line-item veto primarily in order to ​... A)control local pork-barrel projects. B) increase payments to foreign countries for development aid. C)limit welfare payments to unwed mothers. D) prevent defense overruns.

control local pork-barrel projects.

Which of the following types of committee deals with broad areas of public policy and can be found in both houses of Congress? a. Rules b. Select c. Joint d. Standing

d. Standing

What do the maps illustrate? A) the process of reapportionment B) partisan gerrymandering C) increase in electoral support for the Republican Party D) demographic shifts within a congressional district

partisan gerrymandering

Which of the following scenarios is an example of the trustee model of representation? ​ A)The NAACP leadership sends representatives to Washington to lobby for changes to the Voting Rights Act. B)Congress passes a bill allocating money to clean up nuclear waste sites after a wave of large-scale peaceful protests. C)A member of Congress votes to close a popular tax loophole based on the belief that the money would be better spent paying down the national debt. ​ D) A presidential candidate advocates using an executive order to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors.

A member of Congress votes to close a popular tax loophole based on the belief that the money would be better spent paying down the national debt. ​

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation? A) A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state B) A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training program for coal miners C) A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases D) A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads

A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state

Based on the information in the line graph, which of the following is the most likely implication of entitlement and defense spending as a portion of the federal budget? ​ a)Democrats and Republicans generally agree on Increasing entitlement spending. b)Changes in entitlement spending put pressure on discretionary spending. c)Congressional budget committees can ignore entitlement spending. d) Discretionary spending levels are set by law and cannot be changed.

Changes in entitlement spending put pressure on discretionary spending.

36 days and is unlikely to make it to the floor. Which of the following is the best course of action for the representative to take to get a vote on the bill? Introducing a concurrent resolution Placing a hold on the bill Presenting a cloture motion Filing for a discharge petition

Filing for a discharge petition

Policy that describes the impact of the federal budget (including taxes, spending, and borrowing) on the economy is referred to as which of the following? A)Fiscal policy B) Trade policy C) Capitalist policy D) Monetary policy

Fiscal policy

1/ 1 Which of the following best describes the pattern in the chart? A)Tax rates for wealthy people were lowest in 1991-1992 and highest in 1981. B)Tax rates for all taxpayers fell in the 1980's and early 1990's. C)Wealthy people paid over one-half of their income to the federal government between 1981 and 1995. D)The amount of money wealthy people paid in taxes declined steadily from 1981 to 1992 and then began to increase.

Tax rates for wealthy people were lowest in 1991-1992 and highest in 1981.

Which of the following is supported by information in the table? A) Women in Congress have higher incumbency rates than do men in Congress. B) The number of women elected to Congress more than doubled between the 100th and 105th Congresses. C) The number of women in the Senate has increased with each election. D) The Republican Party experienced greater gains in the number of women in Congress between the 100th and 105th Congresses than did the Democratic Party.

The number of women elected to Congress more than doubled between the 100th and 105th Congresses.

Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following? A) The preferences of the majority of their constituents B) Their judgment of what is best for their constituency C) Their political party's most recent policy platform D) The instructions of their political party's leadership

The preferences of the majority of their constituents

Based on your knowledge and the diagram, which of the following is true regarding the leadership structure of Congress? A)The role of the minority leader in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is to coordinate a strategy for the minority party. B) The majority leaders in both chambers work to ensure that a bipartisan agenda is passed in the Congress. C) The vice president is responsible for creating and setting the legislative agenda for the Senate. D) The Speaker of the House has very little power to control members of the majority pa

The role of the minority leader in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is to coordinate a strategy for the minority party.

If legislation passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate but each version is slightly different, the conflicting bills are sent to A) the majority and minority leaders of both houses for compromise. B) a conference committee for review and compromise. C) the Rules Committee of each house for reconciliation and compromise. D) a standing committee of each house for a vote.

a conference committee for review and compromise.

The term "bicameralism" refers to the a. establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules b. members of the House of Representatives having two-year terms. c. president having veto power over both chambers of Congress. d. members of the House and Senate having to appease their mutual constituencies.

a. establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules

The legislative process at the national level of government reflects the intent of the framers of the Constitution to create a legislature that would be a. less powerful than the executive. b. slow and deliberate in the law-making process. c. able to involve as many citizens as possible in the law-making process. d. able to ensure that all citizens are equally represented.

b. slow and deliberate in the law-making process.

Which of the following identifies the formal procedure for ending a filibuster? a. Logrolling b. Pocket veto c. Cloture d. Discharge petition

c. Cloture

Under the Constitution prior to the Seventeenth Amendment, United States Senators were a. elected to ten-year terms. b. elected directly by the people. c. chosen only from the House of Representatives. d. chosen by members of state legislatures.

d. chosen by members of state legislatures.

The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it... A) negotiates compromises on bills with the Senate Rules Committee. B) determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor. C) determines ethics rules for members' conduct. D)determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration.

determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor.

Much of the steady increase in federal government expenditures since 1960 has been caused by... A) increases in entitlement programs. B) higher interest rates caused by an increase in the discount rate. C) increased purchases of United States government securities by foreign investors. D) the provisions of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act.

increases in entitlement programs.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the House of Representatives and the Senate? A B C Members are elected by constituents in a local district based on population; members are elected by constituents of an entire state D

C Members are elected by constituents in a local district based on population; members are elected by constituents of an entire state

Examining the data found in the graph, what pattern or trend would you most likely predict for the anticipated budget for the fiscal year 2035? A) Payments for new interest on the debt will be eliminated. B) The United States will devote a larger share of the budget to the military. C) The percentage of America's GDP devoted to federal spending will continue its downward trend. D) Discretionary experditures will consume a decreasing share of the federal budget.

Discretionary experditures will consume a decreasing share of the federal budget.

1/ 1 Members of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs are concerned about the quality of services at hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Which of the following is an action the committee can take to address the problem? A) Holding a hearing and subpoenaing high-level officials in the Department of Veterans Affairs to testify B) Appointing a new secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs C) Placing a referendum on the ballot in each state to increase health-care funding for veterans D) Impounding funding for veterans hospitals until problems are resolved

Holding a hearing and subpoenaing high-level officials in the Department of Veterans Affairs to testify

The majority party in the Senate is concerned that the Supreme Court has made a number of ideologically dangerous and controversial rulings. Which of the following actions would the Senate take in their attempt to limit the Supreme Court's power? A)Ratify a constitutional amendment limiting the Supreme Court's power B) Replace the chief justice of the Supreme Court with someone with whom they agree with ideologically C) Pass legislation that would limit the impact of the Supreme Court's recent rulings D) Enforce term limits for justices on the Supreme Court

Pass legislation that would limit the impact of the Supreme Court's recent rulings

Which of the following is only a power possessed by the Senate? A) To initiate all revenue and tax bills. B) To consider and approve or reject all bills passed by the other chamber of Congress. C) To initiate all impeachment procedures and pass articles of impeachment D)To confirm many of the Presidential appointments

To confirm many of the Presidential appointments

Which of the following committees plays a major role in the House in shaping tax policy? A) Appropriations B)Finance C) Commerce D) Ways and Means

Ways and Means

Congressional oversight refers to the power of Congress to a. override presidential vetoes. b. hold public hearings before confirming judicial appointees. c. exercise some control over executive agencies. d. seek judicial opinion on the constitutionality of pending legislation.

c. exercise some control over executive agencies.

1/ 1 The practice in Congress whereby Representative A promises to vote for Representative B's legislation, provided that Representative B will support Representative A's legislation, is referred to as .. A)logrolling. B) filibustering. C) pork barrel legislation. D) personal casework and services.

logrolling.