TJC-Dr. K-GOV 2305-Test 3

The current Speaker of the House is A. Richard Gephardt. B. Robert Livingston. C. Newt Gingrich. D. Nancy Pelosi E. None of the above

D. Nancy Pelosi

The "traffic cop" of the House is also known as the A. Speaker. B. Sergeant at Arms. C. Appropriations Committee. D. Rules Committee.

D. Rules Committee.

In general, Congress is __________ than the rest of the United States. A. better educated B. older and whiter C. more male and richer D. all of the above.

D. all of the above.

The advantages of incumbency are A. name recognition. B. access to the media. C. easier fundraising. D. all of the above.

D. all of the above.

Any two-house legislature is also referred to as A. Congress. B. bifurcated. C. bimodal. D. bicameral.

D. bicameral.

The House of Representatives has the sole power to A. try impeached officials. B. approve treaties. C. make agreements with the executive. D. initiate revenue bills.

D. initiate revenue bills.

The Senate is usually presided over by A. the President Pro Tempore. B. the majority leaders. C. a senior member. D. junior members.

D. junior members.

A new Congress is seated every __________ years. A. 8 B. 6 C. 4 D. 2

D. 2

The rate at which incumbents are reelected to the House of Representatives is __________%. A. 54 B. 67 C. 73 D. 97

D. 97

The formal and enumerated powers of Congress are found in A. the Preamble. B. Article II, section 4. C. Article I, section 1. D. Article I, section 8.

D. Article I, section 8.

The Articles of Confederation were ratified by the states in A. 1776. B. 1777. C. 1781. D. 1790.

C. 1781.

The average representative makes __________ of trips home per year. A. 10 B. 25 C. 35 D. 50

C. 35

Under the Constitution, members of the House of Representatives are directly elected for a __________ year term. A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 8

A. 2

Public confidence in Congress is quite low; about 50% of the public believe Congress is doing a good job. What percent of people believe that their representative is doing a good job? A. 65% B. 55% C. 45% D. 35%

A. 65%

The 107th Congress has __________ women in it. A. 72 B. 52 C. 29 D. 15

A. 72

The only officer of House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution is the A. Speaker of the House. B. President Pro Tempore. C. vice president. D. Sergeant at Arms.

A. Speaker of the House.

The most important power that Congress has is the power to A. make laws. B. declare war. C. regulate commerce. D. lay and collect taxes.

A. make laws.

In general, the House is/has __________ than the Senate. A. more centralized and formal B. weaker leadership C. more personal D. emphasized foreign policy more

A. more centralized and formal

Under the Articles of Confederation, the legislative branch was unsuccessful because it had A. no independent source of income. B. the power to declare war but not to wage it. C. no power to coin money. D. no ability to make treaties.

A. no independent source of income.

Committees to which proposed bills are referred are called __________ committees. A. standing B. conference C. ad hoc D. joint

A. standing

One of the advantages of being an incumbent is A. the franking privilege. B. free campaign staff. C. free campaign travel. D. federal funding of reelection campaigns.

A. the franking privilege.

Lawmaking powers are exercised by A. the president. B. bureaucrats. C. Congress. D. all of the above.

A. the president.

The congressional leaders who do vote counts and line up members on partisan issues are called A. whips. B. majority leaders. C. minority leaders. D. sergeants at arms.

A. whips.

State legislatures lost their control over the selection of senators through the __________ Amendment in 1913, which provides for the direct election of senators. A. 15th B. 17th C. 19th D. 21st

B. 17th

Throughout history, the House of Representatives has impeached how many presidents? A. 1 B. 2 C. 5 D. 7

B. 2

The first truly national legislature in the colonies was the A. Colonial Assembly. B. First Continental Congress. C. Revolutionary Congress. D. U.S. Congress.

B. First Continental Congress.

The true leader of the Senate is the A. Vice President. B. Majority Leader. C. President Pro Tempore. D. Speaker.

B. Majority Leader.

The Senate has often been referred to as the A. Kitchen Cabinet. B. Millionaire's Club. C. Effete Elite. D. Yacht Club.

B. Millionaire's Club.

The Senate has the sole power to A. declare war. B. advise and consent on major presidential appointments. C. regulate the District of Columbia. D. issue patents and copyrights.

B. advise and consent on major presidential appointments.

The process of solving constituent's problems dealing with the bureaucracy is called A. red tape. B. casework. C. electioneering. D. incumbency.

B. casework.

Committees are controlled by the A. whips. B. majority party. C. Committee on Committees. D. party that gains the most seats on a committee, based on seniority.

B. majority party.

The presiding officer of the Senate who can vote only in the case of a tie is A. President Pro Tempore. B. the vice president of the United States. C. Majority Leader. D. Majority Whip.

B. the vice president of the United States.

The 106th Congress has a record number of minorities including __________ African Americans, __________ Hispanics, __________ Asians, and __________ Native Americans. A. 25, 16, 30, 2 B. 33, 26, 21, 1 C. 36, 19, 6, 2 D. 56, 48, 5, 4

C. 36, 19, 6, 2

The House of Representatives and the Senate combined have __________ members. A. 435 B. 475 C. 535 D. 575

C. 535

Under the Constitution, senators serve a __________ year term. A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 8

C. 6

The most powerful Speaker of the House in since Joe Cannon was A. Henry Clay. B. Tom Wright. C. Newt Gingrich. D. Tip O'Neill.

C. Newt Gingrich.

The leader of the House of Representatives is called the A. Majority leader. B. President of the House. C. Speaker. D. President Pro Tempore.

C. Speaker.

A committee that is established on a temporary basis is called a(n) __________ committee. A. standing B. conference C. ad hoc D. joint

C. ad hoc

Congress has managed to increase the scope of its enumerated powers through the interpretation of the A. formal lawmaking powers. B. grant of exclusive powers. C. necessary and proper clause. D. inherent powers doctrine.

C. necessary and proper clause.

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. politico. D. representative.

C. politico.

Where does the power to declare war reside? a. The House of Representatives b. Only the president can declare war. c. The Senate d. The House and Senate collectively

d. The House and Senate collectively

The presiding officer of the Senate is: (According to the Constitution) a. the ranking senator of the majority party. b. the vice president of the United States. c. elected by the Senate. d. designated by the president.

b. the vice president of the United States.

One of the three most important standing Committees in the House is the a. Armed Services Committee b. International Affairs Committee c. Commerce Committee d. Ways and Means Committee

d. Ways and Means Committee

Congressional oversight refers to a. The power of conference committees. b. Court rulings about the constitutionality of legislation. c. Checking on the administration of congressional policy. d. The continuing power of special interest groups.

c. Checking on the administration of congressional policy.

Congressional oversight means: a. Congress overlooks certain problems unintentionally. b. Congress does more than is required in its goal attainment. c. Congress supervises bureaucratic agencies. d. Congress goes over the President in policymaking.

c. Congress supervises bureaucratic agencies.

Powers of Congress that are explicitly stated in the Constitution are called a. Implied powers. b. Informal norms. c. Enumerated powers. d. Common law.

c. Enumerated powers.

What is the House Judiciary Committee? a. A standing committee. b. A select committee. c. A joint committee. d. prepared to act.

a. A standing committee.

The Senate Committee responsible for legislation raising revenue is the a. Finance Committee b. appropriations Committee c. Rules Committee d. Steering Committee

a. Finance Committee

Membership is affected by gerrymandering a. House only b. Senate only c. neither House d. both Houses

a. House only

Presided over by the Speaker a. House only b. Senate only c. neither House d. both Houses

a. House only

What is the tendency for sitting members of Congress to win reelection called? a. Incumbency effect b. Gerrymandering c. Redistricting effect d. "Throwing the rascals out"

a. Incumbency effect

In the congressional setting, what does franking refer to? a. Members' right to send mail free of charge b. Challengers demanding honesty of incumbents c. Members helping constituents with problems d. Members helping Mr. Frank to become the president

a. Members' right to send mail free of charge

The Senate committee that investigated the Watergate affair in 1973 is an example of a. a select committee b. a standing committee c. a joint committee d. an impeachment committee

a. a select committee

The top leadership in the U.S. Congress is selected by a. party vote in the legislature. b. the president. c. committee chairpersons. d. national party committees.

a. party vote in the legislature.

Congressional district lines in each state are drawn by a. state legislatures b. a congressional committee c. state courts d. the governors in each state

a. state legislatures

The apportionment of committee seats in each house is determined by: a. the relative strength of the parties in each house. b. the party membership of the Speaker. c. the Constitution. d. the electoral college.

a. the relative strength of the parties in each house.

One-third of the Senate is elected every a. two years. b. three years. c. four years. d. six years.

a. two years.

Age requirements for Senators and Representatives are a. 26 and 21 b. 30 and 25 c. 35 and 30 d. 40 and 35

b. 30 and 25

Which is true about membership in Congress? a. Few wealthy people are members. b. Lawyers outnumber other occupations. c. Many professors are members. d. One-quarter of the members are blue collar workers.

b. Lawyers outnumber other occupations.

Which of the following is another name for informal deal-making between members? a. Caucusing b. Logrolling c. Filibustering d. Positioning

b. Logrolling

Congress's implied powers are based on the a. Tenth Amendment. b. Necessary and proper clause. c. The doctrine of dual federalism. d. Articles of Confederation.

b. Necessary and proper clause.

Has a six-year term of office a. House only b. Senate only c. neither House d. Both Houses

b. Senate only

Has possibility of filibusters a. House only b. Senate only c. neither House d. both Houses

b. Senate only

In Congress, a major reason for the use of committees is that they a. allow each party a say in legislation. b. allow members of Congress to specialize in certain policy areas. c. control the use of filibusters. d. advise the president on policy.

b. allow members of Congress to specialize in certain policy areas.

Taxation and other bills to raise money must be a. passed by a 2/3 vote b. introduced in the House c. introduced in the Senate d. passed twice over a three month period

b. introduced in the House

Congressional CONFERENCE COMMITTEES are formed to: a. coordinate policy between the House and Senate. b. reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill. c. hold hearings on bills and draft them.

b. reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Until 1913, U.S. senators were selected by a. the House of Representatives. b. state legislatures. c. the president. d. the people.

b. state legislatures.

Which of the following was an important attempt by Congress to assert its authority in the field of foreign affairs? a. the Taft-Hartley Foreign Assistance Act of 1947 b. the War Powers Resolution of 1973 c. the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 d. the Gramm-Rudman Act of 1985

b. the War Powers Resolution of 1973

Which of the following characterizes trustee behavior? a. Following the wishes of the party b. Following the wishes of the president c. Following the view he or she thinks is correct d. Following the view of the district

c. Following the view he or she thinks is correct

Which of the following characterizes delegate behavior? a. Following the view he or she thinks is correct b. Following the wishes of the president c. Following the view of the district d. Following the view of the party

c. Following the view of the district

Which of the following has prime constitutional responsibility for foreign policy a. National Security Council b. Secretary of State c. President d. Senate Foreign Relations Committee

c. President

The most important officer in the House is the a. Whip b. Minority Leader c. Speaker d. Majority Leader

c. Speaker

The concept of logrolling refers to a. action taken by a senator that attempts to prevent a bill from passing in the Senate. b. a method that is used to keep one bill on the floor for an extended period of time, thus blocking all legislation. c. a congressman offering to support a bill now in return for support for another bill in the future. d. a method that the president uses when he wants to prevent the passage of legislation.

c. a congressman offering to support a bill now in return for support for another bill in the future.

The term FILIBUSTER refers to: a. the process a bill goes through from its introduction to its signing by the president. b. the attempt by senators to secure positions on important committees. c. a prolonged debate in the Senate to prevent the passage of a bill. d. party caucuses to select congressional candidates.

c. a prolonged debate in the Senate to prevent the passage of a bill.

The majority leader of the House a. is the most important position in the House. b. is the leader of the non-dominant party in the House. c. acts as the chief supporter of the Speaker. d. is the same person who is the Speaker, but must have this separate title in order to be the leader of his party.

c. acts as the chief supporter of the Speaker.

A bill can be forced out of a House committee by a. motion of the Majority Leader after 21 days b. order of the Speaker c. discharge petition d. cloture

c. discharge petition

The age requirement for election to the House and Senate are a. the same b. greater for the House c. greater for the Senate d. not mentioned in the Constitution

c. greater for the Senate

Has four year term of office a. House only b. Senate only c. neither House d. both Houses

c. neither House

In the House of Representatives, the states with the most power are those a. that have been in the union the longest. b. that have the largest territory. c. that have the largest population. d. that have the oldest representatives.

c. that have the largest population.

When the vice president is absent and the Senate is in session, which Senate officer presides? a. the majority leader b. the majority whip c. the president pro tempore d. the speaker

c. the president pro tempore

The reelection rate of incumbents in the House is around a. 50% b. 65% c. 75% d. 90%

d. 90%

Getting money added to the budget for a new post office back home is an example of a. Logrolling. b. Doing an effective oversight job. c. Using the congressional franking privilege effectively. d. A pork barrel project.

d. A pork barrel project.

How many of the House seats are up for re-election every two years? a. One-half of the total b. One-third of the total c. Two-thirds of the total d. All of the seats

d. All of the seats

According to the Constitution, which of the following can initiate bills dealing with taxes? a. Any member of Congress. b. The president. c. Any senator. d. Any member of the House.

d. Any member of the House.

Leaders of the House include all but a. Speaker b. Minority Leader c. Whips d. President pro temp

d. President pro temp

Among Congress's explicit powers is the power to a. Ratify presidential declarations of war. b. Create the Supreme Court. c. Regulate intra-state commerce. d. Raise an army and navy.

d. Raise an army and navy.

With gerrymandering, legislative districts are formed to benefit the majority parties in a. The U.S. Senate. b. The United Nations. c. The Supreme Court. d. State legislatures.

d. State legislatures.

The committee that works out a compromise bill from different versions of a bill passed by the house and the Senate is: a. a standing committee. b. a select committee. c. a sub-committee. d. a conference committee.

d. a conference committee.

Individual members of Congress are expected by their constituents to a. always support legislation that is in the best interest of the country regardless of its impact on their constituents. b. always support the ideas of the political party of the congress personal c. support the major ideas of the president. d. act as brokers between the needs of private citizens and the needs of the federal government.

d. act as brokers between the needs of private citizens and the needs of the federal government.

The President performs his function as "symbol of the nation" when he: a. delivers his State of the Union Address. b. toasts foreign dignitaries. c. dedicates a National Arts Center. d. all of the above.

d. all of the above.

The functions of Congress include: a. representation and consensus-building. b. lawmaking and policy clarification. c. overseeing and legitimizing. d. all of the above.

d. all of the above.

Bills are referred to standing committees a. House only b. Senate only c. neither House d. both Houses

d. both Houses

It is not one of the major functions of Congress to a. pass laws b. propose constitutional amendments c. control finances d. delegate authority to the states to draw district lines for the House seats

d. delegate authority to the states to draw district lines for the House seats

Congressional STANDING COMMITTEES are formed to: a. coordinate policy between the House and Senate. b. reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill. c. study a particular issue rather than draft a bill. d. hold hearings on bills and draft them.

d. hold hearings on bills and draft them.

In the House floor debate is a. virtually unlimited b. limited by the Speaker c. nonexistent because of the large number of members d. limited by the Rules Committee

d. limited by the Rules Committee

The redrawing of congressional districts is called a. the incumbency effect. b. electioneering. c. gerrymandering. d. redistricting.

d. redistricting.

The traditional weapon of obstruction and delay in the Senate is a. cloture b. a rule c. senatorial courtesy d. the filibuster

d. the filibuster

The real leadership power in the Senate rests in the hands of a. the president of the Senate. b. the president pro tempore of the Senate. c. the Senator designate, who is selected by the president. d. the majority leader of the Senate.

d. the majority leader of the Senate.

Since 1975, the Senate can shut off filibustering by a vote of: a. two-thirds of the senators present. b. two-thirds of the full Senate. c. three-fifths of the senators present. d. three-fifths of the full Senate.

d. three-fifths of the full Senate.

Baker v. Carr was the first of several court rulings leading to the conclusion that a. Gerrymandering is illegal. b. Legislative districts must be equal in population. c. Blacks cannot be deprived of the vote. d. Reapportionment must take place every five years. e. Federal courts have jurisdiction over malapportioned legislative districts

e. Federal courts have jurisdiction over malapportioned legislative districts