AP Govt. Chapter 12

In contrasts to the trustee model of representation, the _______ model of representation is based on legislators mirroring the preferences of their constituents. a. pollster b. Burkean c. politico d. instructed-delegates e. uninstructed-delegates

instructed-delegates.

One of the key differences between the House and Senate is that the Senate a. has stronger leadership. b. has a lower turnover rate. c. is less dependent on seniority for determining power. d. has more anarchy. e. is more centralized.

is less dependent on seniority for determining power.

The filibuster a. has been prohibited in both the House and Senate. b. is unique to the House. c. is allowed in both the House and the Senate. d. has been ruled unconstitutional. e. is unique to the Senate.

is unique to the Senate

The minority whip a. assists the majority leader in party-line votes. b. becomes the Speaker automatically if the Speaker resigns. c. is used to punish members who do not vote with the rest of their party. d. represents African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans in each chamber of Congress. e. keeps a close head count on key votes and attempts to keep party members in lin

keeps a close head count on key votes and attempts to keep party members in line

A bicameral legislature is a legislature a. with two houses, providing checks and balances on policymaking. b. that must share power with a president, providing more efficient policymaking. c. in which there are only two political parties. d. in which incumbents have a better chance of being reelected, providing continuity in policymaking. e. in which each state has two senators, providing equal representation of the states.

with two houses, providing checks and balances on policymaking

The income and occupations of members of Congress a. typically reflect the pluralistic nature of American society. b. places over 90 percent of them in the millionaire businessperson class. c. would, for the most part, make them members of the elite in American society. d. have no real impact on public policymaking. e. are very close to the average found among their constituency.

would, for the most part, make them members of the elite in American society.

In the 2007-2008 campaign cycle, the average winner in the House spent about _____, while the average Senate winner spent ______ . a. $1.4 million; $8.5 million b. $500,000; $100,000 c. $50,000; $100,000 d. $100,000; $500,000 e. $8.5 million; $1.4 million

$1.4 million; $8.5 million

The United States Senate has ________ members. a. 435 b. 100 c. 50 d. 535 e. 438

100

Women occupied approximately _____ percent of the seats in the 111th Congress. a. 20 b. 40 c. 10 d. 17 e. 5

17

What are the dominant prior occupations of members of Congress? a. Medicine and law b. Business and law c. Business and the military d. Business and advertising e. Medicine and academia

Business and law

Which of the following statements regarding party politics and Congress is FALSE? a. Over the past three decades the distance between congressional parties has been growing. b. Bipartisan compromise has grown more frequent over the last three decades. c. Democrats are more supportive of government action on social welfare policies than are Republicans. d. Differences between the parties are sharpest on questions of economic and social welfare policy. e. Republicans in Congress have become more conservative while Democrats in Congress have become more liberal.

Bipartisan compromise has grown more frequent over the last three decades

Why are so many senators reluctant to use cloture? a. For fear of setting a precedent to be used against them when they want to filibuster b. Because it has always been used as a stepping stone to the Speaker's job, and once used, they may not get a second chance at the job c. Because, in most cases, the House or Senate usually considers only the bills that obtain a favorable committee report d. Because they have to stay in their positions to monitor the bureaucracy, otherwise there would be no congressional oversight e. Because the size and complexity of today's government make it impossible for any one person to understand all the issues before the Senate

For fear of setting a precedent to be used against them when they want to filibuster

According to the Constitution, revenue bills must originate in the a. Federal Reserve System. b. Treasury Department. c. Senate. d. House. e. Internal Revenue Service.

House

_____ committees draw their membership from both the Senate and the House. a. Ad-hoc b. Conference c. Joint d. Standing e. Select

Joint

Which of the following statements about incumbency is FALSE? a. Not only do more than 90 percent of incumbents seeking reelection win, but most win more than 60 percent of the vote. b. Most incumbents running for reelection are victorious. c. Most incumbents decide to run for reelection. d. Incumbents tend to win even when challengers' positions are closer to voters' positions. e. Most incumbents forgo the opportunity to run for reelection.

Most incumbents forgo the opportunity to run for reelection

Which of the following statements about the policymaking process is FALSE? a. House leaders frequently refer bills to several committees at the same time. b. Individual senators have substantial opportunities for influence through mechanisms such as the filibuster. c. Party leaders exercise a great deal of control over the House. d. At times, House leaders bypass committees altogether, referring high-priority legislation directly to the floor. e. Presidents play no role in crafting the congressional agenda.

Presidents play no role in crafting the congressional agenda

In terms of religion, most members of Congress are a. Catholic. b. atheists. c. Protestant. d. born-again Christians. e. Jewish.

Protestant

The most common prior occupation for members of Congress is a. business. b. law. c. education. d. public service. e. state legislator

law

Which of the following is NOT a role or responsibility of the Speaker of the House? a. Appointing the party's legislative leaders b. Presiding over the House when it is in session c. Assigning most bills to committees d. Making committee assignments e. Recommending which members should be expelled from the House for failure to support the party's positions on bills

Recommending which members should be expelled from the House for failure to support the party's positions on bills.

The House ________ Committee reviews most bills coming from other committees before they go on to the full House, thus performing a traffic cop function. a. Review b. Rules c. Ways and Means d. Appropriations e. Authorization

Rules

According to the Constitution, once impeached, federal officials are then tried in the a. United States District Court for the District of Columbia. b. Department of Justice. c. Senate. d. House. e. Supreme Court.

Senate

________ members present and voting can halt a filibuster by voting for cloture. a. Seventy b. Eighty c. Seventy-five d. Sixty e. Fifty-one

Sixty

Which of the following congressional offices is mandated by the Constitution? a. House and Senate majority leader b. President of the United States c. Speaker of the House d. All of the above are mandated by the Constitution. e. President of the House

Speaker of the House

Which of the following statements about the filibuster is FALSE? a. The filibuster can tie up the legislative agenda. b. The filibuster is used in both houses. c. The filibuster is used to talk a bill to death. d. Rules adopted over the years make it easier to close off debate and end a filibuster. e. All of the above are true.

The filibuster is used in both houses

Which of the following is NOT true about incumbents? a. They usually have higher name recognition and visibility than their opponents. b. They usually face very tough challengers, especially in races for the House. c. They usually have their party's endorsement. d. They usually have more money than their challengers. e. They usually win elections.

They usually face very tough challengers, especially in races for the House

How many senators are elected from each state? a. Four b. Two c. It depends on a state's population. d. One e. The same number as the state's electors in the Electoral College

Two

When the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill, a. the House bill is changed to conform with the Senate bill. b. the Senate bill is changed to conform with the House bill. c. a joint committee is appointed to resolve differences. d. the president may select which bill to enact into law. e. a conference committee is appointed to resolve differences.

a conference committee is appointed to resolve differences

Comparison between members of the House and Senate concerning the impact of incumbency on their reelection chances shows that one of the reasons that senators have a smaller advantage is because they a. represent more homogenous constituencies. b. are less visible. c. have become overspecialized as policymakers. d. have longer terms that increase the chance of scandal. e. are more likely to be held accountable on controversial issues.

are more likely to be held accountable on controversial issues

The single most important advantage to someone trying to get elected to Congress is a. having more money to spend on campaigning. b. being charismatic and photogenic. c. winning the endorsement of the top leaders of his or her party. d. being an incumbent. e. having a clean record.

being an incumbent

A legislature divided into two houses is called a ________ legislature. a. bicameral b. double c. dual d. unicameral e. divided

bicameral

Nebraska's legislature is the only one in the United States that is NOT a. under term limits. b. elected by the voters. c. bicameral. d. unicameral. e. tricameral.

bicameral

A proposed law, drafted in legal language, is called a a. committee report. b. opinion. c. caucus. d. bill. e. statute.

bill

Activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals are known as a. advertising. b. credit claiming. c. franking. d. casework. e. pork barrel politics.

casework

The procedure used to cut off debate and end a filibuster is known as a. cloture. b. coattails. c. franking. d. overriding. e. hushing.

cloture

Committees composed of members of both the House and the Senate, the purpose of which is to meet and iron out differences between bills, are called _______ committees. a. standing b. conference c. joint d. select e. temporary

conference

Within the last few years, power in Congress has become more a. constructive in terms of the relationship between the constituents and their representatives due to a large increase in well-informed constituents. b. controlled by the influence of interest groups and PACs. c. decentralized with the proliferation of subcommittees and caucuses. d. centralized, with more power in the hands of senior party leaders. e. dependent on the relationship between the members of Congress and the president as the chief legislator.

decentralized with the proliferation of subcommittees and caucuses.

One of the key differences between the House and Senate is that the House a. is less centralized. b. has weaker leadership. c. is more influential on foreign affairs. d. has more policy specialization. e. is less institutionalized.

has more policy specialization

An example of casework by a member of Congress is a. working with a caucus on a public policy that affects his or her constituents. b. voting for a bill desired by constituents. c. writing a newsletter to send out to constituents. d. helping a constituent gain citizenship. e. All of the above are true.

helping a constituent gain citizenship

Most of the business of Congress takes place a. in the Rules Committee. b. during evening social functions. c. in congressional districts. d. in committees and subcommittees. e. on the floor of the House and Senate.

in committees and subcommittees

Individuals already holding office are called a. consulates. b. incumbents. c. secretaries. d. chairmen. e. challengers.

incumbents

The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to a. try impeached officials. b. initiate all revenue bills. c. ratify all treaties. d. All of the above are true. e. confirm presidential nominations.

initiate all revenue bills

When members of Congress hold a hearing to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, they are engaging in a. filibustering. b. congressional administration. c. agenda setting. d. legislative oversight. e. casework.

legislative oversight

The most powerful person in the Senate is the a. vice president of the United States, who serves as president of the Senate. b. majority leader. c. president of the United States. d. chair of the Rules Committee. e. Speaker.

majority leader

The principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House, responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes, is the a. minority leader. b. majority whip. c. House clerk. d. majority leader. e. president of the Senate.

majority leader

The pork barrel and casework are examples of a. congressional continuity. b. descriptive representation. c. advertising techniques. d. opportunities for credit claiming by members of Congress. e. position taking.

opportunities for credit claiming by members of Congress.

Legislative ________ is the process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy. a. oversight b. overview c. supremacy d. stonewalling e. franking

oversight.

A ________ committee is one appointed for a limited, specific purpose, such as that set up to investigate the Watergate scandal. a. special b. standing c. joint d. select e. conference

select

If the full House votes on a conference committee version of a bill it is then a. sent to the president. b. referred to a joint committee. c. referred to a committee for hearings, studies, and revisions. d. sent to the House for debate. e. sent to the Senate for approval.

sent to the president

A Senate seat is up for election every a. five years. b. eight years. c. six years. d. two years. e. four years.

six years

Appropriations, Judiciary, and Armed Services are all examples of ________ committees. a. rule b. standing c. conference d. joint e. select

standing

The House Committee on Ways and Means is a _________ committee. a. conference b. caucus c. standing d. joint e. select

standing

Party loyalty at the voting booth is a. almost nonexistent today. b. greater among Democrats than among Republicans. c. still a good predictor of voting behavior. d. stronger than it was a generation ago. e. no longer a good indication of voting behavior.

still a good predictor of voting behavior

After each federal census, a. the Senate reapportions its membership. b. the membership of the House is reapportioned. c. All of the above are true. d. the size of Congress increases. e. the office of the Speaker of the House changes hands.

the membership of the House is reapportioned.

The late senator Edward Kennedy, who had a background of wealth and privilege and was a champion of the interests of the poor, is an example of a. substantive representation. b. descriptive representation. c. franking privileges. d. elite representation. e. constituent representation.

substantive representation

Nominees to the United States Supreme Court must be confirmed by a. the president. b. either the House or the Senate. c. the Senate. d. both the House and the Senate. e. the House.

the Senate

House seats are up for election every a. four years. b. eight years. c. six years. d. two years. e. five years.

two years

Reasons that incumbent senators have greater competition than incumbent members of the House include all of the following EXCEPT a. senators tend to draw more visible challengers. b. voters are less likely to know the issue positions of their senators than their representatives. c. Senate challengers are better funded than House challengers. d. an entire state is more diverse than a congressional district, providing more of a base for opposition. e. senators have less personal contact with their constituencies.

voters are less likely to know the issue positions of their senators than their representatives

Party leaders who work with the majority or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party are called a. whips. b. filibusterers. c. pork barrellers. d. speakers. e. PACs.

whips

Occasionally, a major political tidal wave rolls across the country and throws large numbers of incumbents of a given party out of office. Other than the election of 2010, when did this last occur? a. 1954 b. 1994 c. 1974 d. 1980 e. 1964

1994

Members of the House of Representatives must be ______ years old. a. 18 b. 25 c. 30 d. 40 e. 35

25

House members serve _____ -year terms; Senators serve _______ -year terms. a. 2; 6 b. 4; 6 c. 2; 4 d. 6; 8 e. 4; 8

2; 6.

There are _______ members of Congress. a. 50 b. 435 c. 535 d. 100 e. 635

535

Which of the following is a consequence of the fact that members of Congress feel "unsafe at any margin"? a. Members of Congress spend more time raising campaign funds. b. All of the above are true. c. Members of Congress send more mail to their constituents. d. Members of Congress staff more local offices. e. Members of Congress spend more time at home in their states and districts.

All of the above are true

The fact that incumbents usually win reelection a. allows representatives and senators to gain some expertise in dealing with public policy. b. All of the above are true. c. makes it more difficult for citizens to "send a message to Washington" with their votes. d. insulates members of Congress from political change. e. creates stability in the membership of Congress.

All of the above are true.

Which of the following helps explain women's low levels of representation in Congress? a. Women with children display less political ambition when it comes to running for political office. b. Women without children display less political ambition when it comes to running for political office. c. Women are less likely than men to become major-party nominees. d. Women's decisions to run are more sensitive than men's to the perceptions of the odds of winning. e. All of these help explain women's low levels of representation in Congress.

All of these help explain women's low levels of representation in Congress.

Which of the following statements about the role of money in congressional elections is FALSE? a. In open seats, the candidate who spends the most usually wins. b. Outspending your opponent by a large margin is no guarantee of success. c. Challengers usually outspend incumbents. d. Incumbents benefit less from campaign spending than challengers. e. The more challengers spend, the more votes they receive.

Challengers usually outspend incumbents

Which of the following summarizes the quintessential dilemma for Congress? a. All of the above are true. b. Negotiating presidential dominance of the policymaking process c. Balancing Republicans and Democrats on congressional committees d. Finding competent staff who possess adequate policymaking knowledge e. Combining faithful representation while also making effective public policy

Combining faithful representation while also making effective public policy

Which of the following offices is responsible for making economic projections about the performance of the economy, the costs of proposed policies, and the economic effects of taxing and spending alternatives? a. Congressional Budget Office b. General Accounting Office c. Ways and Means Committee d. Congressional Research Service e. Federal Reserve

Congressional Budget Office

The ____ is administered by the Library of Congress to provide nonpartisan studies and information to members of Congress. a. Congressional Research Service b. House Rules Committee c. Congressional Budget Office d. Government Accountability Office e. House Ways and Means Committee

Congressional Research Service.

The __________ helps Congress perform its oversight functions by reviewing the activities of the executive branch to see if it is following the congressional intent of the laws. a. Government Accountability Office b. Select Committee c. Rules Committee d. Congressional Research Office e. Congressional Budget Office

Government Accountability Office

Which of the following is TRUE about the minimum age requirements for members of Congress set forth in the Constitution? a. There are no age requirements for members of Congress. b. One must be at least 30 years of age to serve in the Senate. c. The age requirements are the same for the House and the Senate. d. One must be at least 35 years of age to serve in either the House or the Senate. e. One must be at least 21 years of age to serve in the House of Representatives.

One must be at least 30 years of age to serve in the Senate

What is descriptive representation? a. When members of Congress serve on committees b. Representing constituents by mirroring their personal, politically relevant characteristics c. Representing the interests of groups d. Representing issues affecting the poor when the representative is extremely wealthy e. When members of Congress have not lived in their home district very long

Representing constituents by mirroring their personal, politically relevant characteristics.

Which of the following is TRUE of the Senate as compared to the House? a. The Senate is more centralized and is characterized by stronger leadership. b. The Senate is more influential in foreign affairs. c. The Senate is more influential on the budget. d. The Senate is smaller in number and less powerful and prestigious. e. In the Senate, seniority is important in determining power.

The Senate is more influential in foreign affairs

Which of the following is unique to the Senate? a. Seniority system b. Majority leader c. Committee leaders d. Congressional caucus e. The filibuster

The filibuster

Presidential leadership of Congress "at the margins" refers to a notion of presidential leadership in which presidents a. refuse to engage in policymaking, leaving the task entirely to Congress. b. aggressively use the threat of the veto to get what they want. c. dominate the policymaking process by forcing Congress to adopt the president's policy agenda. d. recruit lobbyists and interest groups to pursue the president's agenda in Congress. e. attempt to build coalitions and create a political climate favorable to the president's policy agenda.

attempt to build coalitions and create a political climate favorable to the president's policy agenda.

Members of Congress who informally band together in groups to promote and protect mutual interests (e.g., mushroom growers) form what are called a. junkets. b. caucuses. c. subcommittees. d. committees. e. interest groups.

caucuses

According to your textbook, the stronger constituency interests are on issues and the weaker partisan ideology is, the a. more likely members are to be swayed by interest groups and lobbyists in choosing a course of action. b. less likely members are to deviate from their own positions and adopt those of their constituencies. c. less likely members are to be controlled by their constituencies. d. more likely members are to be swayed by the policymaking agenda of the presidency. e. more likely members are to deviate form their own positions and adopt those of their constituencies.

more likely members are to deviate form their own positions and adopt those of their constituencies

Compared to members of the House, senators are a. more likely to have personal contact with their constituents. b. less likely to use television in their reelection campaigns. c. more likely to face difficult reelection opponents. d. less likely to face difficult reelection opponents. e. None of the above is true.

more likely to face difficult reelection opponents

Substantive representation refers to a. serving constituents through pork barrel projects. b. representing constituents by mirroring their personal, politically relevant characteristics. c. descriptive representation. d. representing the poor. e. representing the interests of groups.

representing the interests of groups

The House Rules Committee a. is similar to the Senate Rules Committee. b. has its members appointed by the House majority leader. c. All of the above are true. d. reviews most bills coming from committee before they go to the full House. e. usually retains independence from the House leadership.

reviews most bills coming from committee before they go to the full House