Ap Government: Congress Test

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

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 houses for compromise E. A conference committee for review and compromise

E. A conference committee for review and compromise

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

What occurs during the appropriations process? A. Congress grants funds to federal agencies and programs. B. Congress creates new federal agencies. --- Consider This: The creation of new federal agencies would take place outside of the budgetary function of Congress. C. Congress acquires requested oversight material from the executive. D. Congress instructs the president to eliminate federal agencies.

A. Congress grants funds to federal agencies and programs.

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 vice president of the United States is the ceremonial leader of the Senate, but he or she has little real leadership responsibilities. The true leader of the Senate is the __________. A. Majority leader B. President pro tempore --- Consider This: The president pro-tempore is an honorific post chosen by the majority party and presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. C. President of the Senate D. Speaker

A. Majority leader

Nominations to the Supreme Court must be approved by a: 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

Why were Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump impeached but not removed from office? A. The House officially charged them with wrongdoing, but a Senate trial failed to convict them. B. The Senate officially charged them with wrongdoing, but a House trial failed to convict them. C. The Senate officially charged them with wrongdoing, but a Supreme Court trial failed to convict them. --- Consider This: Only the Senate can convict a president if the House decides to impeach. The Chief Justice presides over the Senate proceedings only in the case of a presidential impeachment. D. Neither chamber of Congress secured enough votes for a trial.

A. The House officially charged them with wrongdoing, but a Senate trial failed to convict them.

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 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. The NAACP leadership sends representatives to Washington to lobby for changes to the Voting Rights Act.

If a bill reaches the floor for debate and a member of the minority party opposes the bill, which of the following provides greater leverage to a senator than to a member of the House to block passage of the bill? A. The Senate allows for unlimited floor debate that can hold up a vote, while the House has strict limits on debate. B. The Senate is more collegial than the House, so members can easily gain support from the opposing party. C. The Senate allows for discharge petitions that force the bill out of committee, while the House does not. D. The Senate is much less likely than the House to have party-line votes, so nonpartisan coalitions are more likely to form.

A. The Senate allows for unlimited floor debate that can hold up a vote, while the House has strict limits on debate.

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 judgment 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, 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 setting the 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.

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 party 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 term 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.

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 "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. Criticizes a senator guilty of improprieties. D. Removes a President who has been impeached by the House. E. Brings a bill directly to a vote without formal committee approval.

B. Cuts off debate on a bill.

Which of the following actions by a congressional representative is an example of "pork barreling"? A. Misusing campaign contributions B. Directing federal funds into the representative's district through legislation C. Accepting money from a political action committee (PAC) D. Attempting to kill a bill with unacceptable amendments E. Voting for a salary increase

B. Directing federal funds into the representative's district through legislation

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 news B. Helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district C. Attracts campaign contributions from ideological political action 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

According to the United States Constitution, all revenue bills must: A. Be passed by a conference committee B. Originate in the House of Representatives C. Be passed by two-thirds of the Senate D. Be reviewed by the Supreme Court

B. Originate in the House of Representatives

A newly elected president faces a Senate controlled by the opposition party. Which of the following presidential appointments is the most likely to encounter difficulty with confirmation by the Senate? A. Secretary of defense B. Supreme Court justice C. Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors D. Ambassador to Germany

B. Supreme Court justice

Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress? A. The Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee B. The Speaker of the House C. The Minority Whip of the Senate D. The Majority Whip of the House E. The Chair of the Senate Finance Committee

B. The Speaker of the House

Which of the following accurately describes the composition of congressional committees? A. Committees are organized by the executive branch to ensure that both branches can communicate and negotiate policy goals. B. The United States Constitution requires that Congress organize itself into committees, with each party having equal access to committee seats. C. Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process. D. Committees are organized by state delegations so that each state has some role in deciding which bills get passed.

C. Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process.

Which of the following is an example of a power exclusively granted to the Senate in Article II of the Constitution? A. Declaring war B. Overriding a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority veto C. Confirming ambassadors D. Creating spending bills

C. Confirming ambassadors

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 Senate Debate is unlimited. Debate is unlimited. B. House of Representatives Senate Members can filibuster. Members cannot filibuster. C. House of Representatives Senate Debate is limited. Members can filibuster. D. House of Representatives Senate Members cannot filibuster. Only the majority leader can filibuster.

C. House of Representatives Senate Debate is limited. Members can filibuster.

Which of the following statements about the Senate is true? A. Each state is represented in the Senate according to its population. B. The Senate, unlike the House, has a Rules Committee. C. Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process. D. The Senate has a strict time limit on debates. E. The Senate is more responsible than the House for initiating appropriations legislation.

C. Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process.

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 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 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

How might a bill become law if it has been pocket vetoed? A. Congress may override the pocket veto with a three-fourths vote in each chamber. B. Congress may override the pocket veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. --- Consider This: A two thirds override vote will be impossible because the session of Congress will have ended. C. The bill can be reintroduced during the next session of Congress. D. The bill can never become law.

C. The bill can be reintroduced during the next session of Congress.

Which of the following enumerated powers would permit Congress to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed citizens? A. The power to create immigration policies B. The power to regulate interstate commerce C. The power to pass a federal budget D. The power of legislative oversight

C. The power to pass a federal budget

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

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

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

The term "pork barrel" refers to legislation specifically designed to: A. Encourage a balanced federal budget B. Ensure the careful inspection of farm goods and other foodstuffs C. Distribute excess produce to the poor D. Provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents E. Equalize representation between farming and nonfarming states

D. Provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents

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

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 is 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 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.

Why are there currently 435 members in the House of Representatives? A. The Constitution requires a specific ratio of representatives to constituents. B. The Constitution stipulates exactly 435 members. --- Consider This: The Constitution has no stipulation of the maximum number of members in the House. C. The number has grown each decade, according to census data. D. The number is fixed by statute.

D. The number is fixed by statute.

The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most strongly with: A. The population density of their districts B. Their economic background C. Their educational level D. Their political party affiliation E. The location of their districts

D. Their political party affiliation

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. Legislating 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

Most of the work of legislating in Congress takes place in: A. Joint committees B. Ad hoc committees C. Select committees D. Conference committees E. Standing committees

E. Standing committees

Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct? A. Debate by a determined minority in either chamber cannot be halted. B. The rules in each chamber are determined by the majority whip. C. The rules are specified in Article I of the Constitution. D. The rules can be changed by the President during a national emergency. E. The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings.

E. The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings.

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.

A major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that: A. Filibusters are possible only in the House B. Revenue bills must originate in the Senate C. Judicial nominations originate in a House committee D. Each state has equal representation in the House but not in the Senate E. There is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House

E. There is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House