Congress

Which of the following Supreme Court cases involved the principle of "one person, one vote"? A Baker v. Carr B Roe v .Wade C Mapp v. Ohio D Korematsu v United States E Gideon v Wainwright

A Baker v. Carr

Which of the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the decision in Baker v. Carr (1962)? A Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law. B To ensure equal protection under the law, there should be an equal number of rural and urban districts in a state. C There should be redistricting every ten years at the federal level, but the state can choose not to redistrict at the state and local levels. D Congressional redistricting must involve traditionally excluded groups in the process or it violates the equal protection clause.

A Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.

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

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.

A The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.

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.

The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money. This is an example of A an enumerated power B an implied power C an inherent power D a reserved power E a concurrent power

A an enumerated power

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 congressional system of standing committees is significant because it A fosters the development of expertise by members B helps Congress reduce staff costs C insulates decision-making from the influence of special interests D weakens Congress in its dealings with the President E prevents Congress from effectively processing its large legislative workload

A fosters the development of expertise by members

Much of the steady increase in federal government expenditures since 1960 has been caused by A increases in entitlement programs B higher interest rates caused by an increase in the discount rate C the provisions of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act D increased purchases of United States government securities by foreign investors E the growth of the United States trade imbalance

A increases in entitlement programs

A difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that in the House A legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules B committees are less important in the decision-making process C junior members have more influence over legislative decisions D party leaders are less powerful E bills are more likely to be amended on the floor

A legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules

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

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 member of Congress votes in favor of a bill as a result of receiving many letters of support for the bill from constituents. Which form of democratic representation best describes this voting decision? A Trustee B Delegate C Elite D Pluralist

B Delegate

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

Federal benefits that must be funded by Congress and must be paid to all citizens who meet eligibility criteria are called A discretionary appropriations B individual entitlements C tax expenditures D distributive benefits E continuing appropriations

B Individual entitlements

An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is A interest on the public debt B spending on national parks C Social Security payments D veterans' pensions E liquidation of prior obligations

B Spending on national parks

Which of the following has decreased in Congress over the past twenty years? A The chances of members' reelection B The influence of committee chairs C The power of subcommittees D The total number of congressional staff employees E The cost of congressional elections

B The influence of committee chairs

Which of the following statements about Congress is true? A Members of Congress only occasionally are interested in and pay attention to constituents. B The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining. C Lobbyists and political action committees (PAC's) successfully induce most members of Congress to trade their votes for campaign contributions. D The growth in the size of Congress as an organization is the principal cause of growth in the federal budget deficit. E Debate in both houses is structured by elaborate rules enacted by leaders of the majority party.

B The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining.

Which of the following situations best reflects the author's concern about an "imperial" presidency? A The Senate ratifying treaties without executive approval B The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements C Congress declaring war independent of the president D The president appointing a new secretary of education

B The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements

Fiscal policies refer to the government's power to A regulate specific industries B tax and spend C reapportion congressional seats D control the supply of money E enforce treaties

B tax and spend

The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by A the Federal Election Commission (FEC) B the state legislatures C the House Rules Committee D a conference committee of the House and Senate E the director of the United States Census Bureau

B the state legislatures

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.

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.

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation? A A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training program for coal miners B A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads C A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state D A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases

C A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state

Which of the following is an example of Congress using its implied powers? A Congress changing the tax code so that individuals making more than $350,000 per year have to pay higher taxes B Congress requesting that the Supreme Court review the constitutionality of a state gun-control law C Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector D Congress ratifying a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada

C Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector

Which of the following is the most likely consequence of divided government? A Reorganization of the federal bureaucracy B Conflicts between states C Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees D Conflicts between national government and states E Elimination of the seniority rule in Congress

C Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees

Which of the following scenarios illustrates Washington's concerns? A An increasing number of voters are not turning out to vote in elections. B Federalism can lead to different public policy outcomes between states. C Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock. D Members of the press fail to report on the illegal activities of certain members of the bureaucracy.

C Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock.

Which of the following describes the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ? A The Voting Rights Act was ruled unconstitutional. B The poll tax was eliminated. C Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional. D It was decided that congressional districts needed to be equal in size.

C Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.

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

Which of the following clauses serves as the constitutional basis for the federal Real ID Act of 2005, a law that established uniform standards for state-issued identification cards and provided regulation of a state function? A The due process clause B The establishment clause C The necessary and proper clause D The commerce clause

C The necessary and proper clause

Which of the following best describes gerrymandering? A The party in power wins four or five surrounding districts by very small margins. B The Supreme Court requires that state legislatures must adopt the doctrine of one person, one vote. C The party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries in such a way as to favor its own candidates in subsequent elections. D By polling voters, party officials are able to determine how citizens will vote. E The public decides which issues are most important and tells the elected officials how to vote on specific bills.

C The party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries in such a way as to favor its own candidates in subsequent elections.

The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it A determines ethics rules for members' conduct B determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration C determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor D has the authority to limit the Speaker and Minority leader in their use of patronage E negotiates compromises on bills with the Senate Rules Committee

C determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor

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

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 identifies the formal procedure for ending a filibuster? A Oversight B Logrolling C Pocket veto D Cloture E Discharge petition

D Cloture

Which of the following are differences between the legislative process in the House of Representatives and that in the Senate? I. Debate is more restricted on the House floor than on the Senate floor. II. The amendment process is more restricted in the House than in the Senate. III. Bills are more likely to bybass committee consideration in the House than in the Senate. IV. A Rules Committee sets the guidelines for floor debate in the House but not in the Senate. A III only B I and II only C II and IV only D I, II, and IV only E I, II, III, and IV

D I, II, and IV only

Advocates of shifting the task of drawing United States House districts from state legislatures to independent commissions are likely to claim which of the following as an advantage of independent commissions? A House districts drawn by independent commissions are immune from challenges by the United States Department of Justice. B Independent commissions are more likely to create majority-minority districts where they are appropriate. C Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process. D Independent commissions are more likely to create districts where minor parties can be victorious. E Independent commissions are more able to draw legislative districts that comply with the one person, one vote standard.

D Independent commissions are more likely to create districts where minor parties can be victorious.

Which of the following is true about divided party control of the presidency and Congress? A It is a natural occurrence due to the constitutional system of checks and balances. B It rarely occurs in United States elections, because of straight-ticket voting. C It promotes quick action by the President and Congress on such issues as the federal budget. D It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades. E It results from the reapportionment of House seats after the decennial census.

D It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades.

Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics? A The Office of Management and Budget negotiates with Congress to get the president's budget proposal passed. B Senators from states with agricultural economies promote farm price supports. C Voters in rural areas support different issue positions than do voters in metropolitan areas. D Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole. E Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee refuse to endorse the president's nominees to the federal courts.

D Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole.

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

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

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

Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true? A They force a bill out of committee so that the full House can vote on it. B They are applied to bills that failed in the previous session of Congress. C They are applied only to appropriation bills. D They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote. E They occur whenever a bill is reported out of committee.

D They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.

The largest source of federal revenue is the A capital gains tax B Social Security tax C property tax D income tax E sales tax

D income tax

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 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

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

The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by A the United States House of Representatives B The United States Senate C United States district courts D state governors E state legislatures

E State legislatures

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.

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

Which of the following is the most accurate comparison of the processes that generally facilitate gridlock and those that facilitate governmental action?

Facilitates Gridlock Checks and balances Facilitates Action Executive orders

Which of the following is an accurate description of the powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate?

House of Representatives Initiates all revenue bills Senate Confirms presidential appointments

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?

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

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?

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.

Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following?

The preferences of the majority of their constituents