Gov ch 4

Once a bill has been engrossed, which of the following actions will most likely prevent it from becoming a law?

A Senate subcommittee never reports the bill.

How do provisions in the Constitution address shifts in population?

Article I directs Congress to reapportion seats, which are increased and decreased according to population size.

James Madison saw the organization of Congress as "a necessary fence" against the "fickleness and passion" of the House of Representatives. How does this view compare with that of the Framers?

Both would agree on the importance of senators' longer term of office, with a broader constituency, allowing them to be less affected by popular opinion.

Which of the following best summarizes how the Supreme Court defined Congress' power over commerce in the cases Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824, and United States v. Lopez, 1995?

Gibbons v. Ogden expanded congressional commerce powers, and United States v. Lopez made it clear that congressional commerce powers were limited.

What important role does the House Committee on Rules play in the House of Representatives?

It serves as a screening device, deciding which bills will go to the floor of the House.

The day before the government shut down on October 1, 2013, the House and Senate sent a bill back and forth about whether to fund key provisions in the Affordable Health Care Act. What is one possible reason this strategy of legislative ping-pong did not work?

Neither chamber could negotiate a bill that they agreed on and that the President would likely sign into law.

According to the power of eminent domain, which of the following actions can Congress take?

Offer the owner of a vacant lot a fair price for a stretch of land needed for a new interstate highway ramp.

How did the 17th Amendment effect a change that more closely matched the original goals of the Framers?

Senators are now elected by, and held accountable to, the citizens of their State.

Which of the following BEST characterizes how Congress and the President share power in the fields of foreign affairs, war, and national defense?

The President can use military forces in response to an attack, but only Congress can declare war.

Why is the President of the Senate less powerful than the Speaker of the House of Representatives?

The President of the Senate is not elected by the Senate and is not a member of that body.

What is the significance of the Court's decision in McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819?

The case established the constitutionality of the implied powers of Congress.

Which of the following correctly illustrates how the nonlegislative duties of Congress support the principle of checks and balances?

The confirmation powers of Congress ensure that the President must appoint people acceptable to Congress.

Which of the following BEST reflects the viewpoint of a liberal constructionist?

The nation needs "an energetic government" to remain strong and effective.

What effect would you expect the 1964 Supreme Court case, Wesberry v. Sanders, to have on the likelihood of rural farmers' issues being heard in Congress?

Their concerns might be less likely heard, since districts must now be drawn with equal populations, ending over-representation of rural areas.

The step in the legislative process that most likely ensures that a bill will be debated in the House of Representatives is when

a committee chairman reports the bill favorably.

An example of a concurrent resolution would be

a welcoming of the independence of the Republic of South Sudan issued by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

An example of a tax Congress has the power to levy is a tax on

an individuals' income without regard to population.

Gerrymandering can thwart the purpose of single-member district elections because

districts can be drawn favoring one political party.

One reason the congressional power to investigate is an essential part of the lawmaking function is because Congress must

ensure that federal agencies are following the law.

The President's State of the Union Address is as much a message to the American people and to the world as it is to Congress because

it describes the administration's policies and proposed legislation that may affect everyone.

The Supreme Court's ruling in Gibbons v. Ogden

relied upon the Necessary and Proper Clause and a broad interpretation of the Commerce Clause.

One way that Congress can limit the President's power of executive appointment is by

the Senate rejecting a presidential appointment.

The role of standing committees in Congress cannot be underestimated because

the fate of most bills is decided in committee.

The President opposes a bill to increase taxes and endeavors to ensure it does not get passed. The Constitution authorizes the President

to veto the bill.

The constitutional clauses that expressly grant powers to Congress have been further defined by the

ways in which Congress has exercised its power, and the Supreme Court decisions in cases arising out of measures Congress has passed.