AP Classroom Congress Questions
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. Personal casework and services b. Partisan discipline c. Logrolling d. Pork barrel legislation e. Filibustering
c. Logrolling
The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money. This is an example of a. An enumerated power b. An implied power c. An inherent power d. A reserved power e. A concurrent power
a. An enumerated power
Which of the following Supreme Court cases involved the principle of "one person, one vote"? a. Baker v. Carr b. Roe v. Wade c. Mapp v. Ohio d. Korematsu v. United States e. Gideon v. Wainwright
a. Baker v. Carr
Which of the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the decision in Baker v. Carr (1926) ? a. Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law. b. To ensure equal protection under the law, there should be an equal number of rural and urban districts in a state. c. There should be redistricting every ten years at the federal level, but the state can choose not to redistrict at the state and local levels. d. Congressional redistricting must involve traditionally excluded groups in the process or it violates the equal protection clause.
a. Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied unequal protection under the law.
When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee? a. Conference b. Select c. Reconciliation d. Rules e. Standing
a. Conference
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 e. Checks that Congress has over the federal bureaucracy
a. Establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules
The congressional system of standing committees is significant because it a. Fosters the development of expertise by members b. Helps Congress reduce staff costs c. Insulates decision-making from the influence of special interests d. Weakens Congress in its dealing with the President e. Prevents Congress from effectively processing its large legislative workload
a. Fosters the development of expertise by members
Much of the steady increase in federal expenditures since 1960 has been caused by a. Increase in entitlement programs b. Higher interest rate caused by an increase in the discount rate c. The provisions of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act d. Increased purchases of United States government securities by foreign investors
a. Increases in entitlement programs
A difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that in the House a. Legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules b. Committees are less important in the decision-making process c. Junior members have more influence over legislative decisions d. Party leaders are less powerful e. Bills are more likely to be amended on the floor
a. Legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules
Nominations to the Supreme Court must be approved by a. Simple majority vote in the Senate only b. Simple majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate c. Two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives only d. Two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate e. Two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate and a majority of the sitting justices on the Supreme Court
a. Simple majority vote in the Senate only
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 judgement of what is best for their constituency c. The instructions of their political party's leadership d. Their political party's most recent policy platform e. The advice of congressional staffers and political consultants
a. The preferences of the majority of their constituents
Based on your knowledge and the diagram (Congressional Leadership 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 vice president is responsible for creating and settling legislative agenda for the Senate. c. The Speaker of the House has very little power to control members of the majority party in the House of Representatives. d. The majority leaders in both chambers work to ensure that a bipartisan agenda is passed in the 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.
A first term member of the House of Representatives from North Dakota who wished to maximize opportunities for constituent service would be most likely to seek placement on which of the following committees? a. Judiciary b. Agriculture c. Rules d. Foreign Affairs e. Science and Technology
b. Agriculture
A member of Congress votes in favor of a bill as a result of receiving many letters of support for the bill from constituents. Which form of democratic representation best describes this voting decision? a. Trustee b. Delegate c. Elite d. Pluralist
b. Delegate
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate? a. Holding trials of impeachment b. Establishing federal courts c. Approving treaties d. Holding confirmation hearings e. Approving major presidential appointments
b. Establishing federal courts
"Pork barrel" legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because such legislation a. Gives the member of Congress national standing and coverage on national television shows b. Helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district c. Attracts campaign contributions from ideological political committees (PACs) d. Prevents other candidates from claiming that the member of Congress is too liberal for his or her district e. Requires the member of Congress to travel extensively
b. Helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district
To which of the following congressional committees would a proposal to reform the national income-tax system initially be sent? a. House Appropriations Committee b. House Ways and Means Committee c. House Budget Committee d. Senate Budget Committee e. Senate Finance Committee
b. House Ways and Means Committee
Which of the following is an accurate description of the powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate? a. House of Representatives: Conducts impeachment trials Senate: Passes articles of impeachment b. House of Representatives: Initiates all revenue bills Senate: Confirms presidential appointments c. House of Representatives: Ratifies treaties submitted by the president Senate: Ratifies executive orders submitted by the president d. House of Representatives: Deploys troops for foreign combat Senate: Negotiates treaties with foreign countries
b. House of Representatives: Initiates all revenue bills Senate: Confirms presidential appointments
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate? a. House of Representatives: The majority and minority parties control legislative scheduling and rules equally Senate: Minority party members can threaten to filibuster a bill the majority wants to pass. b. House of Representatives: The Constitution's framers intended it to reflect the will of the people. Senate: The Constitution's framers designed it to represent the interests of the states. c. House of Representatives: Most legislative work takes place in the standing committees. Senate: Based on its size, it tends to have stricter rules affecting the legislative process. d. House of Representatives: Members serve two-year terms with a term limit of up to twelve years. Senate: Members serve six-year terms with no limits.
b. House of Representatives: The Constitution's framers intended it to reflect the will of the people. Senate: The Constitution's framers designed it to represent the interests of the states.
Federal benefits that must be funded by Congress and must be paid to all citizens who meet eligibility criteria are called a. Discretionary appropriations b. Individual entitlements c. Tax expenditures d. Distributive benefits e. Continuing appropriations
b. Individual entitlements
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is a. Interest on the public debt b. Spending on national parks c. Social security payments d. Veterans' pensions e. Liquidation of prior obligations
b. Spending on national parks
Fiscal policies refer to the government's power to a. Regulate specific industries b. Tax and spend c. Reapportion congressional seats d. Control the supply of money e. Enforce treaties
b. Tax and spend
Which of the following has decreased over the past twenty years? a. The chance of members; reelection b. The influence of committee chairs c. The power of subcommittees d. The total number of congressional staff employees e. The cost of congressional elections
b. The influence of committee chairs
Which of the following statements about Congress is true? a. Members of Congress only occasionally are interested in and pay attention to constituents b. The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining c. Lobbyists and political action committees (PAC's) successfully induce most members of Congress to trade their votes for campaign contributions d. The growth in the size of Congress as an organization is the principal cause of growth in the federal budget deficit e. Debate in both houses is structured by elaborate rules enacted by leaders of the majority party
b. The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining
In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary Presidency. . . . The imperial Presidency was essentially the creation of foreign policy. A combination of doctrines and emotions—belief in the permanent and universal crisis, fear of communism, faith in the duty and right of the United States to intervene swiftly in every part of the world—had brought about the unprecedented centralization of decisions. Prolonged war in Vietnam strengthened the tendencies toward both centralization and exclusion. So the imperial Presidency grew at the expense of the constitutional order. Like the cowbird, it hatched its own eggs and pushed the others out of the nest. And, as it overwhelmed the traditional separation of powers in foreign affairs, it began to aspire toward an equivalent centralization of power in the domestic polity. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., The Imperial Presidency, 1973 Which of the following situations best reflects the author's concern about an "imperial" presidency? a. The Senate ratifying treaties without executive approval b. The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements c. Congress declaring war independent of the president d. The president appointing a new secretary of education
b. The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements
The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by a. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) b. The state legislatures c. The House Rules Committee d. A conference committee of the House and Senate e. The director of the United States Census Bureau
b. The state legislatures
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 a close 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
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
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation? a. A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training for coal miners b. A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads c. A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state d. A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases
c. A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state
Based on the data, which of the following is the most likely consequence for the legislative process in Congress? a. More competitive races for House seats in the general election b. A decrease in party-line voting on important legislation introduced in the House c. An increase in gridlock and failure to compromise on legislation d. Greater cooperation between Congress and the president on nominations
c. An increase in gridlock and failure to compromise on legislation
Which of the following is an example of Congress using its implied powers? a. Congress changing the tax code so that individuals making more than $350,000 per year have to pay higher taxes b. Congress requesting that the Supreme Court review the constitutionality of a state gun-control law c. Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector d. Congress ratifying a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada
c. Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector
Which of the following is the most likely consequence of divided government? a. Reorganization of the federal bureaucracy b. Conflicts between states c. Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees d. Conflicts between national government and states e. Elimination of the seniority rule in Congress
c. Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees
The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it a. Determines ethics rules for members' conduct b. Determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration c. Determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor d. Has the authority to limit the Speaker and Minority leaders in their use of patronage e. Negotiates compromises on bills with the Senate Rules Committee
c. Determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the rules for debate used by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate? a. House of Representatives: Debate is unlimited. Senate: Debate is unlimited. b. House of Representatives: Members can filibuster. Senate: Members cannot filibuster. c. House of Representatives: Debate is limited. Senate: Members can filibuster. d. House of Representatives: Members cannot filibuster. Senate: Only the majority leader can filibuster.
c. House of Representatives: Debate is limited. Senate: Members can filibuster.
I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally. This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy. The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in 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. Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. . . . It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. George Washington's Farewell Address, 1796 Which of the following scenarios illustrates Washington's concerns? a. An increasing number of voters are not turning out to vote in elections. b. Federalism can lead to different public policy outcomes between states. c. Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock. d. Members of the press fail to report on the illegal activities of certain members of the bureaucracy.
c. Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock.
Advocates of shifting the task of drawing United States House district from state legislatures to independent commissions are likely to claim which of the following as an advantage of independent commissions? a. House districts drawn by independent commissions are immune from challenges by the United States Department of Justice b. Independent commissions are most likely to create majority-minority districts where they are appropriate c. Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process d. Independent commissions are most likely to create districts where minor parties can be victorious
c. Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process
Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true? a. It has been banned by United States Supreme Court decisions beginning with Baker v. Carr b. It was used traditionally to maintain urban control of the House of Representatives c. It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible d. It guarantees greater constituency control over elected representatives e. It ensures liberal control of the House of Representatives
c. It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible
Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics? a. The Office of Management and Budget negotiates with Congress to get the president's budget proposal passed. b. Senators from states with agricultural economies promote farm price supports. c. Voters in rural areas support different issue positions than do voters in metropolitan areas. d. Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole. d. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee refuses to endorse the president's nominees to the federal courts.
c. Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole.
The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives rests on its authority to a. Choose the chairs of other standing committees and issue rules for the selection of subcommittee chairs b. Initiate all spending legislation and hold budget hearings c. Place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate and determine the type of amendments allowed d. Determine the procedures by white nominations by the President will be approved by the House e. Choose the President if no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college
c. Place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate, and determine the type of amendments allowed
Which of the following describes the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ? a. The Voting Rights Act was ruled unconstitutional. b. The poll tax was eliminated. c. Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional. d. It was decided that congressional districts needed to be equal in size.
c. Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.
Most of the bills introduced in the House and the Senate are then a. Passed by one chamber but not the other b. Passed by both chambers but vetoed by the President c. Referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress d. Voted down during the amendment stage of the floor debate e. Killed in the Rules Committee
c. Referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress
Which of the following is a unique power held by members of the Senate? a. Control of the veto b. Control of the appropriations process c. The ability to filibuster d. The ability to impeach the president e. The ability to work with a clearly defined constituency
c. The ability to filibuster
Which of the following clauses serves as the constitutional basis for the federal Real ID Act of 2005, a law that established uniform standards for state-issued identification cards and provided regulation of a state function? a. The due process clause b. The establishment clause c. The necessary and proper clause d. The commerce clause
c. The necessary and proper clause
Which of the following best describes gerrymandering? a. The party in power wins four or five surrounding districts by very small margins b. The Supreme Court requires that state legislatures must adopt the doctrine of one person, one vote c. The party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries in such a way as to favor its own candidates in subsequent elections d. By polling voters, party officials are able to determine how citizens will vote e. The public decides which issues are most important and tells the elected officials how to vote on specific bills
c. The party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries in such a way as to favor its own candidates in subsequent elections
A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always a. The member with the longest service on the committee b. The member with the longest service in the House c. A representative of the Speaker d. A member of the majority party in the chamber e. A trusted ally of the President
d. A member of the majority party in the chamber
Debate of a bill in the House of Representatives under a "closed rule" means that a. The bill can only be amended by section b. Debate on the bill will consist of five-minute speeches, pro and con c. Only senior members are allowed to participate d. Amendments to the bill cannot be offered e. The bill must be approved by two-thirds of the House
d. Amendments to the bill cannot be offered
Refer to the diagram for the following question. (Congressional Leadership Diagram) Which of the following is true according to the diagram? a. The Senate minority leader is as powerful as the Senate majority whip. b. The Speaker of the House, in coordination with the House majority leader, appoints the House minority leader. c. Unlike the House of Representatives, the Senate does not recognize political parties. d. Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.
d. Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.
Which of the following identifies the formal procedure for ending a filibuster? a. Oversight b. Logrolling c. Pocket veto d. Cloture e. Discharge petition
d. Cloture
Senate-----49 Republicans-----51 Democrats HOP-----220 Republicans------215 Democrats The government depicted above is best described by which of the following terms? a. Nonpartisan government b. Unicameral government c. Unitary government d. Divided government e. Dealigned government
d. Divided government
Which of the following is the most accurate comparison of the processes that generally facilitate gridlock and those that facilitate governmental action? a. Facilitates Gridlock: Gerrymandering Facilitates Action: Partisanship b. Facilitates Gridlock: Ideological news sources Facilitates Action: Bicameral legislature c. Facilitates Gridlock: Bully pulpit Facilitates Action: Judicial review d. Facilitates Gridlock: Checks and balances Facilitates Action: Executive orders
d. Facilitates Gridlock: Checks and balances Facilitates Action: Executive orders
Which of the following are differences between the legislative process in the House of Representatives and that in the Senate? I. Debate is more restricted on the House floor than on the Senate floor II. The amendment process is more restricted in the House than in the Senate III. Bills are more likely to bypass committee consideration in the House than in the Senate IV. A Rules Committee sets the guidelines for floor debate in the House but not in the Senate a. III only b. I and II only c. II and IV only d. I, II, and IV only e. I, II, III, and IV
d. I, II, and IV only
The largest source of federal revenue is the a. Capital gains tax b. Social security tax c. Property tax d. Income tax e. Sales tax
d. Income tax
Which of the following is generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts? a. It results in more Democrats being elected to the House b. It results in more Republicans being elected to the House c. It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally represented d. It creates districts that favor one political party over another e. It violates the principle of one-person, one-vote
d. It creates districts that favor one political party over another
Which of the following is true about divided party control of the presidency and Congress? a. It is a natural occurrence due to the constitutional system of checks and balances b. It rarely occurs in United States elections, because of straight-ticket voting c. It promotes quick action by the President and Congress on such issues as the federal budget d. It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades e. It results from the reapportionment of House seats after the decennial census
d. It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades
Congressional standing committees are best described as a. Specially appointed investigative bodies b. Joint committees of the two houses of Congress c. Committees created for each session d. Permanent subject-matter committees e. Advisory staff agencies
d. Permanent subject-matter committees
Enumerated powers of the federal government include all of the following EXCEPT the power to a. Coin money b. Declare war c. Regulate interstate commerce d. Regulate intrastate commerce e. Tax
d. Regulate intrastate commerce
A member of the House of Representatives who wishes to be influential in the House itself would most likely seek a place on which of the following committees? a. Agriculture b. International Relations c. Transportation and Infrastructure d. Rules e. Veterans' Affairs
d. Rules
Which of the following committees of the House of Representatives sets the conditions for debate and amendment of most legislation? a. Ways and Means b. Appropriations c. Judiciary d. Rules e. Government Operations
d. Rules
A person claiming that the House can pass legislation with a simple majority, but the Senate is unlikely to pass legislation unless a bill has the support of a 60-vote supermajority is most likely to cite which of the following institutional differences as the cause of this trend? a. The House has fewer legislative committees than the Senate does. b. Members of the House often represent a much narrower constituency than senators do. c. Party leadership in the House is highly formalized, while leadership in the Senate is much more informal. d. The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.
d. The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.
The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because a. The seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore committees must play a larger role b. The Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House c. Committee members are appointed by the President d. The House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor e. The majority party in the House prefers to give priority to the work of the committees
d. The House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor.
The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in a. A White House budget resolution b. The Congressional Budget Office c. The United States Senate d. The United States House of Representatives e. The Office of Management and Budget
d. The United States House of Representatives
Which of the following situations best illustrates the meaning of divided government in the United States political system? a. The majority of Supreme Court justices are from one party, but the president from another b. The majority of governors are from one party, but the president is from another c. The president and a majority of members of Congress are from one party, but the majority of governors are from another d. The majority of senators and the majority of representatives are from one party, but the president is from another e. The majority of Supreme Court justices are from one party, but the majority of the senators and representatives are from another
d. The majority of senators and the majority of representatives are from one party, but the president is from another
Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true? a. They force a bill out of committee so that the full House can vote on it. b. They are applied to bills that failed in the previous session of Congress. c. They are applied only to appropriation bills. d. They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote. e. They occur whenever a bill is reported out of committee.
d. They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.
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. A standing committee of each house for a vote b. An ad hoc committee for judicial review c. The Rules Committee of each house for reconciliation and compromise d. The majority and minority leaders of both house for compromise e. A conference committee for review and compromise
e. A conference committee for review and compromise
The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings? a. A party caucus b. The majority leader's office c. The floor of the House d. Legislative hearings e. A subcommittee
e. A subcommittee
Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT a. Legislative federal appropriations b. Approval of treaties c. Establishing a lower-court system d. Passing federal laws e. Pardoning felons
e. Pardoning felons
The role of a conference committee in Congress is to a. Hold hearings on proposed legislation b. Oversee the actions of the executive branch of the government c. Decide which bills should be considered by the full Senate d. Conduct hearings that make information available to the public e. Reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
e. Reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by a. The United States House of Representatives b. The United States Senate c. United States district courts d. State governors e. State legislators
e. State legislatures
Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing? a. Members of Congress with the longest continuous service are assured the chairmanship of major congressional committees. b. Members of Congress must be elected from safe seats to accrue committee seniority. c. Members of congressional committees are the most senior members of the body's majority party. d. The oldest members of Congress have the most seniority. e. The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.
e. The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.