Congress Multiple Choice Questions

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

B

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?

C

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

Based on your knowledge and the diagram, which of the following is true regarding the leadership structure of Congress?

A

Which of the following statements is true based on the bar graph? A In 1981, 25 percent of stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time. B From 2011 to 2016, no stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time. C From 1989 to 1991, 100 percent of stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time. D In 2017, 50 percent of stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.

B

If Congress wanted to effect a change in the Social Security payroll tax, to what congressional committee would the task initially be assigned? A House Appropriations Committee B Senate Appropriations Committee C House Ways and Means Committee D House Rules Committee E Senate Finance Committee

C

Most of the bills introduced in the House and the Senate are then A passed by one chamber but not the other B passed by both chambers but vetoed by the President C referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress D voted down during the amendment stage of the floor debate E killed in the Rules Committee

C

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

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

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

In which year did Congress pass all stand-alone appropriations (spending) bills on time? A 1977 B 1980 C 1993 D 2012

A

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 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

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

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

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

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

he 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

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

Establishing the boundaries of United States congressional districts to give one party an advantage over another party is referred to as A raiding B apportionment C reapportionment D gerrymandering E filibustering

D

Which of the following is true according to the diagram?

D

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

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

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

D

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

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

Elections for the House of Representative provide A approximately equal representation for every voter B an equal chance of getting elected for both incumbents and challengers C a system in which only those candidates who receive a majority of the votes cast win on the first ballot D proportional representation based on the percentage of votes cast for each party E proportional representation of racial and ethnic minorities

A

Federal budget entitlements refer to spending A to provide individual benefits established by legislation B by legislators on trips to home states to confer with constituents C by congressional staff while traveling on official business D on behalf of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness E targeted to benefit residents of specific congressional districts

A

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

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

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

Which of the following categories accounted for the majority of spending in 2017, according to the chart? A Mandatory B Net interest C Discretionary D Pork-barrel

A

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

"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

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

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

Congressional district boundaries are usually redrawn every ten years by the A Bureau of the Census B state legislatures C President D House Rules Committee E Federal Election Commission

B

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

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

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 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 largest portion of "uncontrollable spending" in the federal budget is designated for which of the following? A Interest on the national debt B Entitlement spending C Defense spending D Environmental programs E Salaries of federal bureaucrats

B

To which of the following congressional committees would a proposal to reform the national income-tax system initially be sent? A House Appropriations Committee B House Ways and Means Committee C House Budget Committee D Senate Budget Committee E Senate Finance Committee

B

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

Which of the following committees plays a major role in the House in shaping tax policy? A Finance B Ways and Means C Commerce D Appropriations E Governmental Affairs

B

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

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

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

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.

C

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

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

Which of the following best reflects the holding in the case Baker v. Carr (1962) ? A Declared that racial gerrymandering was a violation of the due process clause. B Stated that the Tenth Amendment exclusively reserves the power to review congressional districts to the states. C Created a one-person, one-vote standard for reviewing congressional districts. D Stated that the Seventeenth Amendment requires regular review of the constitutionality of congressional districts.

C

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

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

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

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

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

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

C

Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true? A It has been banned by United States Supreme Court decisions beginning with Baker v. Carr. B It was used traditionally to maintain urban control of the House of Representatives. C It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible. D It guarantees greater constituency control over elected representatives. E It ensures liberal control of the House of Representatives.

C

Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true? A It has been banned by United States Supreme Court decisions beginning with Baker v.Carr. B It was used traditionally to maintain urban control of the House of Representatives. C It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible. D It guarantees greater constituency control over elected representatives. E It ensures liberal control of the House of Representatives.

C

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

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

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

Enumerated powers of the federal government include all of the following EXCEPT the power to A coin money B declare war C regulate interstate commerce D regulate intrastate commerce E tax

D

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 committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill is called a A joint committee B select committee C special committee D conference committee E standing committee

D

The government depicted above is best described by which of the following terms? A Nonpartisan government B Unicameral government C Unitary government D Divided government E Dealigned government

D

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

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

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

Which of the following are differences between the legislative process in the House of Representatives and that in the Senate? Debate is more restricted on the House floor than on the Senate floor. The amendment process is more restricted in the House than in the Senate. Bills are more likely to bybass committee consideration in the House than in the Senate. 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

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

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

Which of the following is generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts? A It results in more Democrats being elected to the House. B It results in more Republicans being elected to the House. C It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally represented. D It creates districts that favor one political party over another. E It violates the principle of one-person, one-vote.

D

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

Which of the following types of committee deals with broad areas of public policy and can be found in both houses of Congress? A Rules B Select C Joint D Standing E Conference

D

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

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

Federal spending for which of the following is determined by laws that lie outside the regular budgetary process? A Military procurement B Regulatory agency funding C Government-subsidized housing programs D Educational assistance programs such as student loans E Entitlement programs such as Social Security

E

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

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

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

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

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

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

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