AP GOV UNIT 2A Final Exam
Which of the following are differences between the legislative process in the house of representatives and that in the senate 1. debate is more restricted on the house floor than on the senate floor 2. the amendment process is more restricted in the house than in the senate 3. bills are more likely to bypass committee consideration in the house than in the senate 4. a rules committee sets the guidelines for floor debate in the house but not in the senat a.) 3 only b.) 1 and 2 only c.) 2 and 4 only d.) 1, 2 and 4 only
1, 2 and 4 only
the primary function of the white house staff a.) advise the president b.) initiate policy c.) provide information to the office of management and budget d.) act as a liaison with members of congress
advise the president
which of the following best reflects the holding in the case Baker v Carr (1962)? a.) declared racial gerrymandering was a violation of the due process clause b.) stated that the tenth amendment exclusionary reserves the power to review congressional districts to the states c.) created a one person, one vote standard for reviewing congressional districts d.) stated that the seventeenth amendment requires regular review of the constitutionality of congressional districts
created a one person, one vote standard for reviewing congressional districts
All of the following powers are granted to the President by the Constitution EXCEPT a.) addressing congress in the state of the union b.) receiving ambassadors c.) granting pardons for federal offenses d.) issuing executive orders
issuing executive orders
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.) filibustering b.) pork barrel legislation c.) logrolling d.) personal casework and services
logrolling
congressional standing committees are best described as a.) specially appointed legislative bodies b.) joint committees of the two houses of congress c.) committees created for each session d.) permanent subject-matter committees
permanent subject-matter committees
the constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in a.) the office of management and budget b.) the senate c.) the house of representatives d.) the congressional budget office
the house of representatives
If legislation passes in both House of Rep. and Senate but each version is slightly different, the conflicting bills are sent to a.) a standing committee of each house for a vote b.) the rules committee of each house for reconciliation and compromise c.) the majority and minority leaders of both houses for compromise d.) a conference committee for review and compromise
a conference committee for review and compromise
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 the 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 protest 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
a committee chair in the house of representatives is always a.) addressing congress in the state of the union 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
a member of the majority party in the chamber
in the federalist 70, Alexander Hamilton states that "energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government." in this statement, Hamilton is arguing in favor of the need for a.) a president who has a good understanding of public policy b.) a single executive who can respond quickly to crises c.) an electoral college in the selection of the president d.) a president who is youthful and assertive
a single executive who can respond quickly to crises
Which of the following accurately compares to formal and informal powers of the president? FORMAL; INFORMAL a.) vetoing legislation to prevent a bill from becoming a law; using a pocket veto to prevent a bill from becoming a law b.) using the bully pulpit to influence public opinion; signing executive agreements with foreign nations c.) acting as commander-in-chief of the military; signing executive agreements with foreign nations d.) using the power of the purse to support government programs; using signing statements to support legislation
acting as commander-in-chief of the military; signing executive agreements with foreign nations
which of the following statements is true regarding congressional terms? a.) all senators and all representatives are up for reelection every two years b.) all representatives are up for reelection every two years and one-third of senators are up for reelection every two years c.) all representatives are up for reelections every two years and one-third of senators are up for reelection every six years d.) representatives and senators serve six year terms with one thirds up for reelection every two years
all representatives are up for reelection every two years and one-third of senators are up for reelection every two years
a "cloture motion" passed in the senate does which of the following? a.) returns a bill to committee b.) cuts off debate on a bill c.) removes a president who has been impeached by the house d.) brings a bill directly to a vote without formal committee approval
cuts off debate on a bill
Which of the following is the most likely consequence of divided government? a.) conflicts between states b.) delays in confirmation of federal court nominees c.) conflicts between national and state governments d.) elimination of the seniority rule in congress
delays in confirmation of federal court nominees
Since the 1970s, Presidents have made use of executive orders at an increasing rate because executive orders a.) are noncontroversial measures that can be easily implemented b.) avoid judicial review c.) do not need to be passed on congress d.) must be ratified by the senate rather that the house
do not need to be passed on congress
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 mutual constituencies
establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules
a member of the house of representatives has introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage, but it has been in committee for 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? a.) presenting a cloture motion b.) placing a hold on the bill c.) introducing a concurrent resolution d.) filing for a discharge petition
filing for a discharge petition
Establishing the boundaries of the United States congressional districts to give one party an advantage over another party is referred to as a.) reapportionment b.) apportionment c.) gerrymandering d.) filibustering
gerrymandering
Pork barrel legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because such legislation a.) gives the members of congress national standing and national news coverage b.) helps earn the member of congress a reputation for service in his/her district c.) attracts contributions from third parties d.) prevents other candidates from claiming that the member of congress is too liberal or too conservative for the district
helps earn the member of congress a reputation for service in his/her district
to which of the following congressional committees would a proposal to reform the national income-tax system initially be sent? a.) senate finance committee b.) house budget committee c.) senate budget committee d.) house ways and means committee
house ways and means committee
The house and the senate have some different constitutional responsibilities. Which of the following pairs correctly matches House and Senate constitutional responsibilities? HOUSE; SENATE a.) initiates revenue bills; ratifies treaties b.) drafts articles of impeachment; elects the president if there is not a majority if votes in the electoral college c.) confirms federal judges; has limited debate d.) can call on the vice president to break ties on votes; confirms cabinet appointments
initiates revenue bills; ratifies treaties
Executive agreements have been cited as evidence that a.) modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority b.) presidents have less power in handling foreign policy than in handling domestic policy c.) interest groups have too much power in the contemporary governmental system d.) the courts have few meaning of limited presidential power
modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority
If Congress adjourns during the ten days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, but which the president has not yet signed, what is the result? a.) line-item veto b.) legislative veto c.) pocket veto d.) judicial review
pocket veto
which of the following was the ruling in Shaw v Reno ( 1993) a.) creating districts where a minority us the majority does not violate the ninth amendment b.) racial gerrymandering violates the fourteenth amendment c.) districts must be equal in population size because of the fourteenth amendment d.) districts drawn in unusual shapes or sizes violates the ninth amendment
racial gerrymandering violates the fourteenth amendment
Which of the following committees in the House of Representatives sets conditions for debate and amendments on most legislation a.) ways and means b.) judiciary c.) rules d.) homeland security
rules
Which of the following is an accurate description of the two chambers of congress HOUSE; SENATE a.) formal debate; votes schedules by vice president b.) initiates revenue bills; representation based on state population c.) led by the house majority leader; use committees to organize legislative work d.) serves 2 year terms; serves 6 year terms
serves 2 year terms; serves 6 year terms
Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in congress a.) speaker of the house b.) chairman of the house ways and means committee c.) minority whip of the senate d.) majority whip of the house
speaker of the house
Most of the work of legislating in Congress takes place in a.) joint committees b.) select committees c.) standing committees d.) conference committees
standing committees
members of congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes base 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.) the advice of congressional staffers and political consultants
the preferences of the majority of their constituents
each of the following is an example of the legislative branch balancing powers of the executive branch EXCEPT a.) the senate approval process of treaties with other countries b.) the senate approval process of supreme court nominees c.) the senate approval process of cabinet secretaries d.) the senate approval process of executive orders
the senate approval process of executive orders
a major difference between the house and senate is that a.) filibusters are possible only in the house b.) judicial nominees originate in the house committee c) only in the senate is there organized leadership for the minority party d.) there is an unlimited debate in the Senate, but not in the house
there is an unlimited debate in the Senate, but not in the house
President Theodore Roosevelt took his case directly to the American people to gain public support for his progressive reform initiatives by appearing in a movie newsreel. This type of presidential communication is an example of which of the following? a.) using the bully pulpit b.) making use of a formal power c.) drafting a signing statement d.) issuing an executive order
using the bully pulpit