congress quiz ap gov

Eminent Domain (5th Amendment)

- Congress can take private property by government for public use, must have reason to take the property, must give just compensation (not fair market value)

Committee chairs in the House are a. usually in their first term of office. b. always the most senior members of committees in the majority party. c. selected in House caucuses by majority party vote. d. voted on by committee members from both the House minority and majority parties. e. selected by House leaders in the majority party.

ASK

The idea that elected representatives should listen to their constituents' opinions and then use their best judgment to make decisions is called behaving as a a. delegate. b. trustee. c. representative. d. politico. e. statesman.

ASK bc I thought it was politico but practice test said that's wrong...

How many presidents have been impeached? a. two b. five c. one d. four e. three

ASK bc online it says 3 and practice quiz said that was incorrect

Individual senators can exercise tremendous power by filibustering a. unless three-fifths of the senators vote to cut her or him off. b. unless three-quarters of the senators vote to cut him or her off. c. unless a majority of the Senate votes to cut her or him off from speaking. d. unless the party leader tells him or her to stop. e. unless two-thirds of the senators vote to cut her or him off.

a

Bills can be forced out of committee a. by removing a hold. b. by a discharge petition signed by a majority of House members. c. by the committee chair. d. by amending a majority of the original bill's provisions. e. by a vote of cloture.

b

The most important power Congress has is the power to a. declare war. b. make laws. c. lay and collect taxes. d. regulate commerce. e. coin money.

b

________ can formally submit a bill for congressional consideration. a. Members of the House b. Members of the House or senators c. The Speaker of the House d. Senators e. The president

b

The most powerful position in the House of Representatives is called the a. president of the House. b. party whip. c. Speaker of the House. d. president pro tempore. e. majority leader.

c

Members of Congress who informally band together in groups to promote and protect mutual interests (e.g., mushroom growers) form what are called

caucuses

The main organizational vehicle in the House and Senate is/are a. the subcommittees. b. the way seats are configured on the floor of both houses. c. the two major political parties plus the Independents. d. strong party leaders. e. the two political parties.

e

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

e

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

e

The enumerated powers of Congress are set out in the Constitution's a. Article II, section 4. b. Article I, section 8. c. Article I, section 1. d. Article III, section 2. e. Preamble.

b

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

d

Under the Constitution, senators are elected to ________-year terms. a. ten b. eight c. two d. six e. four

d

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

d

The Great Compromise resulted in a. a two-house legislature. b. a single-house legislature. c. a weakened executive branch. d. an Electoral College based on representation. e. legalization of slavery.

a

Every ________ years, ________ of members of the Senate are up for re-election. a. two/one-quarter b. two/one-third c. six/one-third d. six/three-quarters e. six/one-half

b

In general, Congress is ________ than the rest of the United States. I. more liberal II. better educated III. older and whiter IV. more male and richer a. II and III b. II, III, and IV c. I, II, and III d. I and II e. I and IV

b

Members of Congress often seek committee assignments based upon I. their own interests or expertise. II. their need to curry favor with political leaders. III. reelection incentives. IV. opportunities for "pork." a. II, III, and IV b. I, III, and IV c. II and III d. III e. I and II

b

A committee that is established on a temporary basis is called a/an ________ committee. a. ad valorem b. discharge c. select d. pro tempore e. standing

c

A new Congress is seated every ________ years. a. eight b. three c. two d. four e. six

c

According to the Constitution, after each census, apportionment and its attendant redistricting must occur every a. eight years. b. six years. c. ten years. d. two years. e. four years.

c

According to most polls, in general, the public's approval of ________ is higher than that of Congress as a whole. a. the Supreme Court b. the president c. the federal bureaucracy d. their own representative e. a few Senate leaders

d

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

d

Congress often cedes a significant amount of power to the chief executive in times of a. budget surpluses. b. economic inflation. c. high gas prices. d. war. e. national catastrophes.

d

________ privileges refer to the free use of the mail system enjoyed by Congress. a. Franking b. Junket c. Procurement d. E-mail e. Conmail

a

The House of Representatives has the sole power to a. approve treaties. b. initiate revenue bills. c. try impeached officials. d. make agreements with the executive. e. declare war.

b

The president pro tempore is I. the youngest member of the Senate. II. fifth in succession to the presidency. III. largely a ceremonial position. IV. generally the oldest person of the majority party. a. I and II b. III and IV c. II and III d. II and IV e. II, III, and IV

b

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

b

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

a

Which of the following best describes the holding in Baker v. Carr (1962) ? a. Congressional redistricting is subject to judicial review. b. Congressional districts must be compact and contiguous. c. Diluting minority representation by confining their majority to one or two districts is unconstitutional. d. Racial gerrymandering is allowed in certain circumstances.

a

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. Congressional Research Service c. Ways and Means Committee d. General Accounting Office e. Federal Reserve

a

Prior to his confirmation, Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions questioned President Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price about the ethics of some of his investments. He was eventually confirmed with support of Republicans in the Senate. This check on presidential power illustrates that a. the process of selecting Cabinet members is usually negotiated by making concessions to the minority party in the Senate b. the process of confirming members of the president's Cabinet can lead to conflict with members of the Senate c. presidents rely on the bully pulpit to get members of Congress to act on confirmations d. even when an executive order is issued, members of the opposing party in the Senate can work to block them

b

House and Senate committees a. are populated by the hired staff members of Congress, freeing the elected members for more important work. b. all have an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. c. all have a majority of members from the majority party in that chamber. d. are nonpartisan, and thus some committees are nearly all Democrats and others nearly all Republicans. e. must have their membership approved by the president.

c

In general, the House is/has ________ than the Senate. a. more personal b. emphasized foreign policy more c. stricter rules d. weaker party loyalty e. weaker leadership

c

Standing committees can I. kill bills. II. amend bills. III. hurry bills through the process. IV. reconcile differences in House and Senate versions of bills. a. II and III b. II, III, and IV c. I, II, and III d. I and II e. I and III

c

State legislatures lost their control over the selection of senators when the ________ Amendment was ratified in 1913. a. Fifteenth b. Nineteenth c. Seventeenth d. Twenty-First e. Twenty-Third

c

The Constitution stipulates that members of the House of Representatives are elected directly by the people for ________-year terms. a. four b. six c. two d. eight e. twelve

c

The presiding officer of the Senate who can vote only in the case of a tie is a. the president pro tempore. b. the majority leader. c. the vice president of the United States. d. the Speaker. e. the head of the majority party's campaign committee.

c

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

d

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

e

The House of Representatives and the Senate combined have ________ members with full voting privileges. a. 575 b. 435 c. 605 d. 535 e. 475

d

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. Appropriations b. Rules c. Ways and Means d. Review e. Authorization

b

The Senate must approve treaties by a ________ vote. a. two-thirds (after a two-thirds vote in the House). b. two-thirds c. seven-eighths d. simple majority e. three-quarters

b

The power of Congress increased overtime as the U.S. Supreme Court expanded the scope of its enumerated powers through the Court's interpretation of a. the inherent powers doctrine. b. the necessary and proper clause. c. the privileges and immunities clause. d. Congress's grant of exclusive powers in Article I. e. Congress's formal lawmaking powers.

b

In early 2002, Representative Nancy Pelosi became a. the first female member of Congress to be impeached. b. the first female member of Congress to be elected as the Republican whip in the House. c. California's first female elected to Congress. d. the first female to be elected as the Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives. e. the first female chair of a major committee in the House.

d

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

d

Which of the following is an accurate pair of descriptions of the two chambers of Congress? a. House: Formal debate. Senate: COtes scheduled by vice president b. House: Initiates revenue bill. Senate: Representation based on state population c. House: Led by the House majority leader. Senate: Uses committees to organize legislative work d. House: Serves 2-year terms Senate: Serves 6-year terms

d

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

d

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

c

Among some of the advantages of incumbency are I. guaranteed reelection. II. name recognition. III. access to the media. IV. easier fund-raising. a. II and III b. I, II, and III c. II, III, and IV d. I and IV e. I and II

c

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

e

The Senate has no real counterpart to the House Committee on a. Budget. b. Veterans Affairs. c. Armed Services. d. Appropriations. e. Rules.

e

The process of allotting seats in the House of Representatives is called a. gerrymandering. b. census. c. proportionality. d. redistricting. e. apportionment.

e

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. agenda setting. b. casework. c. congressional administration. d. filibustering. e. legislative oversight.

e

Which of the following is permitted to draft a bill? a. Lobbyists b. The public c. The president d. Members of Congress e. All of the above; anyone can draft a bill.

e

"Presidents tend to assert their power and if Congress does not claim its duty to check and balance the executive, then the balance tilts heavily toward the executive branch. For example, the congressional resolution authorizing the United States to respond to the al-Qaeda attacks against the United States in 2001 was applied far beyond the initial campaign in Afghanistan. It was interpreted by George W. Bush's administration as justifying findings that the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war did not apply in the war on terrorism; that harsh interrogation tactics were permissible . . . ; and that the use of intercepts of telephone conversations between American citizens and people abroad was condoned. . . . When, after the Supreme Court ruled in 2006 . . . that the Bush administration was in fact violating the Geneva Conventions, . . . Congress was compelled to pass new laws on detainee treatment. Bush signed the law but then added a separate 'signing statement.' . . . President Bush declared that he would implement the law 'in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief . . . [in order to protect] the American people from further terrorist attacks.'" Sean Kay, America's Search for Security: The Triumph of Idealism and the Return of Realism, 2014 According to the passage, which of the following occurred as a direct result of the congressional resolution authorizing action against al-Qaeda? a. The Supreme Court authorized the use of force against al-Qaeda. b. President Bush interpreted it broadly to allow him to conduct the war on terrorism without much further consultation with Congress. c. Members of Congress passed a law that declared that the Geneva Conventions were not applicable to the war on terrorism. d. President Bush issued a signing statement regarding the Geneva Conventions.

b

"Presidents tend to assert their power and if Congress does not claim its duty to check and balance the executive, then the balance tilts heavily toward the executive branch. For example, the congressional resolution authorizing the United States to respond to the al-Qaeda attacks against the United States in 2001 was applied far beyond the initial campaign in Afghanistan. It was interpreted by George W. Bush's administration as justifying findings that the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war did not apply in the war on terrorism; that harsh interrogation tactics were permissible . . . ; and that the use of intercepts of telephone conversations between American citizens and people abroad was condoned. . . . When, after the Supreme Court ruled in 2006 . . . that the Bush administration was, in fact, violating the Geneva Conventions, . . . Congress was compelled to pass new laws on detainee treatment. Bush signed the law but then added a separate 'signing statement.' . . . President Bush declared that he would implement the law 'in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief . . . [in order to protect] the American people from further terrorist attacks.'" Sean Kay, America's Search for Security: The Triumph of Idealism and the Return of Realism, 2014 Which of the following is likely to occur as a result when Congress refuses to act as a check on the power of the president, according to the main idea of the passage? a. The Supreme Court will intervene to check the power of the president. b. The American people will vote in new members of Congress during the next election. c. The president will be able to push the limits of constitutional authority. d. Treaties, such as the Geneva Convention, will be treated as executive agreements.

c

Which of the following is a true statement regarding Rules in the House given to each bill? a. They originate with every committee in Congress. b. They affect the composition of House budget bills. c. They determine limits on floor debate. d. They rarely specify the type of amendments that can be made to a bill. e. Choices B and C are true, but not A and D.

c

On February 13, 2016, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement that the Supreme Court vacancy should be left to the next president of the United States, who would be elected that November. Nonetheless, President Obama nominated circuit judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy. The Senate judiciary committee never held a hearing nor was a vote scheduled on the nomination. The scenario demonstrates that a. the Senate prefers to pick members of the Supreme Court b. the Senate prefers to pick members of the Supreme Court c. because the judicial branch is elected, the Supreme Court must be responsive to public opinion d. because federal judges are lifetime appointments, Senate confirmation can oftentimes be challenging

d

Committees to which proposed bills are referred and that continue from one Congress to the next are called ________ committees. a. special b. ad hoc c. joint d. conference e. standing

e

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

e

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

e

Occasionally, a major political tidal wave rolls across the country and throws large numbers of incumbents of a given party out of office. When did this last occur? a. 1994 b. 1974 c. 2018 d. 1964 e. 1980

e

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. PACs. b. pork barrellers. c. speakers. d. filibusterers. e. whips.

e