Ch. 10-12

Why is the Senate called a "continuous body"? A. All of its seats are never up for election at the same time. B. The Senate never adjourns. C. The Senate never takes recesses. D. There is no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve.

A. All of its seats are never up for election at the same time. Senators' terms are staggered, so that only a third of the seats are up for election every two years. There is no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve, but this is also true of the House.

Look at the map. Why do you think Congressional District 4 is so small? A. It contains one or more major cities. B. It is much smaller in population than the other districts in the state. C. It has fewer major roads than other districts in the state. D. It is a Native American reservation.

A. It contains one or more major cities. The small size of Congressional District 4 suggests that it contains a concentrated population

54. After passage of the 20th Amendment in 1933, each new Congress began its term in _____ rather than in _____. A. January; March B. March; January C. November; January D. January; November

A. January; March Until 1933, Congress began each new term on March 4, which allowed for delays in communications and travel. By the 1930s, however, travel and communications were no longer an issue, and the March date gave Congress less time to accomplish its work each year. As a result, the start of each new term was changed, by the 20th Amendment, to January 3.

Which is an example of a public bill? A. an increase in the minimum wage B. a special grant of citizenship to an individual C. payments for crop losses in Iowa D. an award for a veteran

A. an increase in the minimum wage Public bills are measures applying to the nation as a whole; private bills apply to certain persons or places rather than to the entire nation.

Senator Strom Thurmond held up the Civil Rights Act of 1957 by using what action? A. filibuster B. veto C. pocket veto D. cloture

A. filibuster Senator Strom Thurmond used the longest filibuster in history, trying to prevent measures that eventually led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Which of the following does the seniority rule favor? A. those with experience B. those with new ideas C. committee chairmen D. new members

A. those with experience The seniority rule favors those with experience. It is a custom that gives the most important jobs in Congress to the members who have served the longest.

42. Why did the Framers of the Constitution create a bicameral Congress? A. to settle a conflict during the Constitutional Convention B. to provide for three branches of Congress C. to provide for four branches of Congress D. to provide for representation by population in the Senate

A. to settle a conflict during the Constitutional Convention During the Constitutional Convention, the large and small states could not agree on the size of Congress. The Framers decided on a bicameral Congress so they could agree.

45. Which of the following is one of the qualifications for membership in the House of Representatives? A. Candidates must be citizens of the U.S. for at least 20 years. B. Candidates must live in the state from which they are elected. C. Candidates must have at least two years political experience. D. Candidates must have at least five years of political experience.

B. Candidates must live in the state from which they are elected. As a qualification, members of the House of Representatives must live in the state from which they are elected.

Bills that reach the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote must first go through which of the following committees? A. Ways and Means Committee C. House Bill Scheduling Committee B. House Rules Committee D. Judiciary Committee

B. House Rules Committee

Each state is represented according to population in which of the following? A. judicial branch B. House of Representatives C. executive branch D. Senate

B. House of Representatives The Framers decided that in the House of Representatives each state would be represented according to population.

What is the significance of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Wesbury v. Sanders? (1962) A. it established use of the commerce clause by Congress C. it established the supremacy clause. B. It requires states to redistrict if a census showed population shifts D. it allowed the people to vote for their senators rather than state legislatures.

B. It requires states to redistrict if a census showed population shifts

Which can the President do when a serious problem arises but Congress has adjourned for the session? A. call for new elections B. call a special session of Congress C. reschedule the session D. change the date the next session begins

B. call a special session of Congress The President can call a special session of Congress if a problem arises after Congress has adjourned. The special session lasts until the problem is resolved.

4. How often are elections held for the House of Representatives? A. every year C. every four years D. every six years

B. every two years Members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years for a two-year term

What is the name for a closed meeting of the members of each party in each house? A. cabinet meeting B. party caucus C. committee meeting D. quorum

B. party caucus A closed meeting of the members of each party in each house is called the party caucus. The meetings are held just before Congress convenes in January and occasionally during a session.

. Which allows Congress to override a President's veto? A. minority vote of each house B. two-thirds vote of each house C. voting for cloture D. using the filibuster

B. two-thirds vote of each house Congress can override a President's veto only by a two-thirds majority vote of each house.

The proceeding by which a bankrupt person's assets are distributed among those to whom he or she owes debts.

Bankruptcy

. The Cloture Rule, which can end a filibuster in the Senate, requires at least ___________ votes. A. 50 C. 60 B. 75 D. 16

C Cloture requires 3/5ths or 60 votes in order to be invoked.

. The House of Representatives has 435 members. Why does the Constitution allow only two senators from each state? A. The House gets more members because it is a continuous body. B. The Senate has fewer committees, so it gets fewer members. C. In the Senate, every state is equally represented. D. There were many more senators, but some were expelled.

C. In the Senate, every state is equally represented. The writers of the Constitution decided that every state would be equally represented in the Senate for historical, practical, and theoretical reasons. Therefore, each state elects two senators to serve in the Senate regardless of the state's population. In contrast, states are represented in the House of Representatives based on their population.

What must happen before a bill can be sent to the President for approval? A. It must be set aside for at least 60 days. B. It must be sent to a conference committee. C. It must pass both houses in identical form. D. It must be approved by a majority of voters.

C. It must pass both houses in identical form. Both houses must agree on a single version of a bill before it can be sent to the President for approval.

After the Vice President, who is next in line to become President of the United States? A. President of the Senate B. President pro tempore C. Speaker of the House D. majority leader of the House

C. Speaker of the House The Speaker of the House follows the Vice President in the line of succession to the presidency

What makes opening day in the Senate different from opening day in the House? A. There are always more new senators. B. The House has a first-day filibuster. C. The Senate is a continuous body. D. The House must hear the State of the Union message.

C. The Senate is a continuous body. Because every member of the House must be elected or re-elected every two years, there are many new members each session. The Senate, however, is a continuous body. Only one-third of the Senate faces elections every two years, so opening day in the Senate is usually routine and short with fewer organizational matters to attend to.

What happens to most bills that are referred to committees? A. They are quickly approved. B. They are thoroughly debated. C. They are pigeonholed and die. D. They are revised several times.

C. They are pigeonholed and die. The vast majority of bills die in committee

Why are committee chairmen important in the legislative process? A. They are better at fundraising than the rest of the committee. B. They are able to get more money for projects in their states. C. They have a major say in which bills the committee will consider. D. They can force their party caucus to support a bill.

C. They have a major say in which bills the committee will consider. Because every member of the House must be elected or re-elected every two years, there are many new members each session. The Senate, however, is a continuous body. Only one-third of the Senate faces elections every two years, so opening day in the Senate is usually routine and short with fewer organizational matters to attend to.

Which standing committee in the House decides how to raise money for the federal government? A. Rules B. Appropriations C. Ways and Means D. House Administration

C. Ways and Means The Ways and Means Committee is one of the most important standing committees in the House because it deals with all bills that are related to taxation

The Framers hoped that ____ would help make the Senate a more responsible body than the House. A. shorter sessions B. more members C. longer terms D. higher pay

C. longer terms Many of the Framers thought that members of the House would be too swayed by the immediate impact of events and by the passions of the moment because of their short term of office. By giving senators a longer term of office, they hoped that the Senate would be a more responsible body than the House.

Which part of the Senate is up for election at any one time? A. one-fourth B. one-half C. one-third D. two-thirds

C. one-third The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that all Senate seats are never up for election at the same time. Only one third of the Senate membership is up for election at any one time.

The Senate Watergate Committee investigated a scandal surrounding President Nixon in 1973. It is an example of which type of committee? A. subcommittee B. joint committee C. select committee D. standing committee

C. select committee The Senate Watergate Committee was a select committee because it was formed temporarily for a specific purpose.

What is the minimum number of representatives in Congress (both senators and members of the House) that a State can have? A. one B. two C. three D. four

C. three Each State has two senators, and each State is guaranteed at least one seat in the House no matter what its population. Therefore, the minimum number of representatives in Congress that a State can have is three

How can a bill be forced out of committee once it is pigeonholed? A. by adding an amendment B. by a request from the President C. with a discharge petition D. with a floor debate

C. with a discharge petition Most of the thousands of bills introduced in each session of Congress are pigeonholed. That is, they are buried in committee and never acted upon. Sometimes these bills are held by a committee and then released in response to a discharge petition introduced by a member of the House and signed by a House majority

Procedure that may be used to limit or end floor debate in a legislative body

Cloture

The exclusive, legal right of a person to reproduce publish, and sell his or her own literary, musical, or artistic creations.

Copyright

How often does the Constitution require Congress to reapportion seats in the House of Representatives? A. every two years B. every four years C. every six years D. every ten years

D. Every ten years The number of representatives for each state in the House of Representatives is based on the population of that state. Every ten years, after each census, the Census Bureau decides on the reapportionment of House seats for each state.

What are the titles of the presiding officers of the House and the Senate? A. House: floor leader; Senate: majority whip B. House: Speaker of the House; Senate: majority leader C. House: President pro tempore; Senate: President of the Senate D. House: Speaker of the House; Senate: President of the Senate

D. House: Speaker of the House; Senate: President of the Senate Because every member of the House must be elected or re-elected every two years, there are many new members each session. The Senate, however, is a continuous body. Only one-third of the Senate faces elections every two years, so opening day in the Senate is usually routine and short with fewer organizational matters to attend to.

What does the House do with a bill after its first reading? A. It is sent to the Senate. B. It is sent to the executive branch. C. It is sent to the states. D. It is sent to the standing committee.

D. It is sent to the standing committee. As a bill is considered in the House, it receives a total of three readings. After the first reading, the next step is to send the bill to a standing committee that deals with all bills of the same subject.

Which of the following statements about standing committees is true? A. They exist in the House but not in the Senate. B. They all have about the same amount of influence. C. They have only recently been set up in Congress. D. They play a critical role in the lawmaking process.

D. They play a critical role in the lawmaking process. Standing committees play a very important role in the lawmaking process. Most bills receive their most thorough consideration in standing committees. Members of both houses regularly respect the decisions and follow the recommendations of standing committees.

Which is a joint committee that finalizes a bill so it can go to the President? A. select committee B. subcommittee C. standing committee D. conference committee

D. conference committee A conference committee is a joint committee of House and Senate members. It meets privately to work out a compromise version of a bill so it can then go to the President for approval. This is necessary because a bill must be passed in the same form in the Senate and the House.

When members of Congress vote according to what they believe the voters want, they are voting as which of the following? A. politicos B. partisans C. trustees D. delegates

D. delegates Delegates see themselves as agents of the people who elected them. They believe they should vote on each issue according to the wishes of the voters.

Which is true of debate in the Senate as compared to the House? A. has no rules for debate B. has a "one-speech rule" C. less freedom to debate D. more freedom to debate

D. more freedom to debate The Senate is given more freedom to debate than the House.

A tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied; see the indirect tax.

Direct tax-

Power of a government to take private property for public use

Eminent domain

The power that can be exercised by the National Government alone

Expressed powers

A person must have been a US citizen for at least 7 years before they can serve in the US Senate. T/F

F A person must have been a US citizen for at least 9 years before becoming a member of the Senate

Committee assignments are based strictly on a person's qualifications and seniority plays no part in the process. T/F

F Seniority plays a huge role in determining committee assignments

Various tactics aimed at defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote; associated with the U.S. Senate; see cloture

Filibuster

A tax levied on one party but passed on to another for payment.

Indirect tax

. __________________ is the current Speaker of the House. (Nancy Pelosi/John Boehner)

John Boehner

Legislative committee composed of members of both houses.

Joint committees-

Any kind of money that a creditor must, by law, accept in payment for debates.

Legal tender

One who argues a broad interaction of the provisions of the Concession, particularly those granting powers to the Federal Government.

Liberal construction

The ___________________ is the legislative strategist for the party that holds the greatest number of seats in their respective chamber of the legislature. (Majority Leader/Majority Whip)

Majority Whip

Meeting at which a party's delegates vote to pick their presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

National convention

The _____________ is responsible for tallying votes and ensuring that party members vote according to the leadership's directives. (Floor Leader/Party Whip)

Party Whip

A license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right to manufacture, use or sell his or her invention for a limited period of time.

Patent

Type of veto a chief executive does not sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so; see veto.

Pocket veto

The Vice President according to the Constitution also acts as the _________________ in the Senate. (Minority Leader/President)

President

The __________________ presides over the Senate when the Vice President is unavailable. (Majority Leader/President Pro-Tempore)

President Pro-Tempore

______________________ is responsible for presiding over the chamber of Congress that has the most members. (Speaker of the House/President of the Senate)

Speaker of the House

According to the Constitution Congressional elections must be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.T/F

T

Committees in Congress exist to divide the workload between members and allow for members to gain expertise in specialized areas of concern. T/F

T

Freedom of speech is such a vital part of the exchange of ideas that members of Congress cannot be sued for slander for whatever they say on the floor of their respective chamber. T/F

T

Senators serve six year terms of office, whereas members of the House serve two year terms of office. T/F

T

to end a meeting of Congress

adjourn

a proposed law presented to a legislature for their consideration

bill

a suggested new law

bill

the people whose interest a member of Congress is said to represent

constituents

when a bill goes before the full House or Senate

floor consideration

benefit for members of Congress

franking privilege

the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group

gerrymander

Accuse or bring charges

impeach

in line with the ideas of a political party

partisan

a closed meeting of a party's House or Senate members

party caucus

an unrelated provision attached to a bill for the purpose of gaining passage of the bill as a whole; sometimes called "pork"

rider

has two representatives from each state

senate

there are two of these for each term of Congress

session

session called by the President

special session

A ____________________ constructionalist reads the Constitution with a narrow interpretation where the implied powers are used sparingly. (strict/broad)

strict

two year period of time during which Congress meets between elections

term

votes based on the quality of the new law

trustee

Executive branch power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

veto

considers multiple points of view when voting

voting theory