American Government: Chapter 12 Test Study Guide
True
(True or False) A standing committee is a permanent group.
True
(True or False) Cloture is a Senate rule for limiting debate.
True
(True or False) Filibusters are practiced by those in the minority on an issue.
True
(True or False) Select Committees are set up for a specific purpose for a limited time.
False
(True or False) The President's only options are to sign or veto a bill passed in both the house and the Senate.
True
(True or False) The Senate is the house that practices filibusters.
False
(True or False) The Senate, when considering a bill, tends to be more formal than the House.
False
(True or False) The main job of standing committees or their subcommittees is to conduct investigations.
False
(True or False) The main job of the House Rules Committee is to watch over the ethics of House members.
One Year
A session of Congress runs for (?).
Law
A bill is a proposed (?).
Caucus
A closed meeting of the members of a political party is called a party (?).
Conference Committee
A special type of joint committee is the (?), whose job it is to iron out differences in a bill, and produce a compromise bill that both houses will accept.
Two
A term of Congress runs for (?) years.
Select Committee
A type of committee in Congress that is set up for a specific purpose and for a limited amount of time is a (?).
Whip
Assistant of party floor leaders.
Party Caucus
Closed meeting.
Seniority Rule
Committee Chairperson is often chosen on the basis of (?).
Discharge Petition
Enables members to force a bill out of a committee pigeonhole.
Majority Party Leader
Is always a member of, and is chosen by the Majority Party.
Preside / Keep Order
Majority Party Leader specific powers resolve about these two duties.
Quorum
Majority of the full membership of either house.
Seniority Rule
Most important posts go to ranking members.
Senate Majority / Senate Minority
Next to the Speaker of the House, the most important officers in Congress are the (? and ?) floor leaders.
A Member
Only (?) of Congress can introduce a bill.
President of the Senate
Presiding officer of the Senate.
Rider
Provision attached to an important measure.
Topic / Subject Matter
Standing committees in Congress are organized according to (?).
President Pro Tempore
Temporary presiding officer.
House Rules Committee
The "traffic cop" in the legislative process in the House of Representatives is the (?).
Vice President
The Constitution states that the President of the Senate is the (?).
Invoking the Cloture Rule
The main way to end a filibuster is by?
Speaker of the House
The most important and influential member of the House of Representatives.
Chairperson
The most important person on any committee in Congress is the committee (?).
Standing Committees / Select Committees / Joint Committees
The three types of committees in Congress are (? and ? and ?).
President Pro Tempore
The title of the individual who serves as the presiding officer in the Senate in the absence of the Vice President is the (?).
Whip
The two floor leaders in the House and the Senate are assisted by a majority and minority party (?).
Voice Vote / Standing Vote / Roll-call Vote
Three methods of taking a floor vote.
Presiding Officers
What are the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the President Pro Tempore examples of?
It decides if a bill will be taken up by the full House.
What describes the main work of the House Rules Committee?
It is given a number and title.
What happens to a bill after it's introduced into the House?
The rule results in conflict within the party.
What is NOT an argument against the seniority rule?
The President fails to act on it within 10 days of receiving it while Congress is in session.
What is a way a bill can become a law without the President's signature?
Be in the House or Senate longer than anyone else wanting the job.
What is one factor that goes into the way a member of the House or Senate is appointed committee chairperson?
The majority party always holds the chairmanship and a majority of the seats on each committee.
Why are party politics so important in congressional organization?
They worry that some day they themselves may want to use the filibuster and do not want to jeopardize the Senate tradition of free debate.
Why do many senators hesitate to support cloture motions?
The bill must be identical when it goes to the President to sign.
Why must a conference committee meet on a compromise bill even if both houses pass similar bills?
