Federal Government Chapter 11

How many signatures does a discharge petition require?

218

Members of the House will typically sit on ____ full committees and ____ subcommittees although members sitting on the more influential and time-consuming committees have fewer assignments.

2;4

After reviewing the president's proposed budget, committees in both chambers must pass a ____ that projects income and sets spending limits for programs.

Budget resolution

When an incumbent personal helps constituents solve problems with the federal bureaucracy, it is known as

Casework.

The Constitution gives ____ the sole authority to decide how money is spent by the government.

Congress

If the president chooses to veto a bill,

Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

The budget process begins when the president sends a proposed budget to Congress, which is then reviewed by which of the following congressional offices?

Congressional Budget Office

A ____ ____ is a party or special-interest group formed by like-minded members of Congress to confer on issues of mutual concern.

Congressional caucus

A ____ is a citizen from a state or district that an elected official represents.

Constituent

Which of the following models of representation insist that legislators vote in line with their constituent's views even when this contradicts their personal views?

Delegate

____ representation argues that members of Congress should reflect the demographic makeup of the population and not just our political viewpoints.

Descriptive

How does the public generally feel about Congress?

Dissatisfied

Standing committees are important because they

Each specialize in a certain area of legislation Allow Congress to consider a high volume of bills.

During the 1950s and 60s, which of the following groups of citizens began to press Congress for protective legislation for their causes?

Environmentalists Minority groups Women

Once a bill is introduced, it will be assigned to one or more standing committees, depending on

Jurisdiction.

The ____ party is the political party with the most seats in the chamber.

Majority

The leader of the majority party in each house, responsible for marshaling support for the party's agenda, is the ____ ____.

Majority leader

The responsibility for managing the legislative process in the Senate belongs to the ____ ____, the most powerful position in the Senate.

Majority leader

As part of their in monitoring and influencing executive agencies, congressional committees do which of the following?

Monitor agency budgets Hold committee hearings

____ legislation allows the Congress to fold all executive agency budgets into a single bill, making passage more likely.

Omnibus

The most powerful leader in the House of Representatives is the

Speaker of the House.

Much of today's legislation originates with which of the following branches of government?

The White House

Members of the House of Representatives serve ____-year terms, while members of the Senate serve ____-year terms.

Two; six

Much of the mail received by members of Congress concerns

requests for assistance

Put in order the following steps that a bill must pass through in order to become a law. 1. The bill is submitted to a committee for consideration. 2. A majority of members in the House and Senate approve the bill. 3. The president signs the bill. 4. A member of the House of Representatives or the Senate formally proposes the bill.

4 1 2 3

in 2012, over ____ of the money contributed to congressional candidates came from individual donors donate large sums.

50 percent

A procedural move in which a member or members of the Senate speak for all unlimited amount of time on the Senate floor in order to prevent a vote on a bill is known as

A filibuster.

Which of the following best describes the trustee model of representation?

A representative who exercises his/her own best judgment when making decisions

Which of the following can be attributed to a high partisan Congress?

A rise in party voting A lack of civility and decorum amongst members Difficult in passing legislation

During the twentieth century, Congress became increasingly diverse, welcoming members from which of the following minority groups?

African Americans Women Asian Americans

Which of the following are cited as reasons for the increase in divided government over the last several decades?

An increasingly divided electorate Purposeful voting on the part of citizens

The ____ Committee is responsible for sending portions of the budget resolution to those committees with jurisdiction over the agencies requesting funds.

Appropriations

Individual donors who donate large sums to congressional candidates possess which of the following characteristics?

Are more partisan than most constituents Often live outside of the district Are more extreme than most constituents

Individual donors who donate large sums to congressional candidates possess which of the following characteristics?

Are more partisan than most constituents Often live outside of the district Are more extreme than most constituents.

Which of the following contribute to incumbents having an advantage over their challengers during congressional elections?

Being able to raise money more easily Having easier access to media coverage Having greater name recognition

In 2002, voters rewarded President ____ party during the midterm elections, reflecting their satisfaction with his handling of the "War on Terror."

Bush's

Which of the following candidate must consistently solicit funds from individual contributors and PACs in order to be competitive congressional races?

Candidates in safe races Candidates in close races Challengers

As a result of the decentralization of congressional power, party members created the party ____ as a way to settle differences and develop strategies for passing legislation.

Caucus

To end a filibuster, sixty senators must agree to invoke ____ and end the debate.

Cloture

Highly trained professionals who provide assessments of policy problems and options for members of Congress to consider in drafting legislation are known as ____ staffers.

Committee

Rules in the House regarding debate and amendment procedures are determined by which of the following committees?

Committee on Rules

In creating a bicameral legislature, the Farmers wanted the lower chamber to reflect the will of the ____, while the upper chamber was meant to protect the interests of the ____.

Commoner; wealthy

If the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill, it must first go to a ____ committee to have any differences reconciled before it can be sent to the president.

Conference

The power to declare war is given by the Constitution to

Congress

If the government fails to pass a yearly budget by October the 1st, they must pass ____ resolutions that allow agencies to continue operating albeit at the previous year's funding levels.

Continuing

By the late 1930s, conservative members of the ____ Party created rules in Congress designed to slow or block presidential initiative and return greater authority to the body.

Democratic

If a majority of the members of the Senate are Democrats, then the majority of seats on each standing committee and subcommittee will be help by the ____ party.

Democratic

Which of the following can be attributed to a highly partisan Congress?

Difficult in passing legislation A rise in party voting A lack of civility and decorum amongst members

____ government happens when one party controls one or both houses of Congress, while the other party controls the White House.

Divided

Pork barrel projects are funded through ____ that are added to appropriations bull with little debate or oversight from Congress.

Earmarks

Which of the following changes in the American political process led to an increase in the importance of political parties within Congress?

Elimination of property requirements for voting. The use of spoils system by President Jackson

Which of the following groups participate in the committee process, usually be testifying before the committee on the bill's likely impact?

Executive agencies Interest groups

Members of Congress use which of the following types of media to communicate with their constituents?

Facebook News conferences Twitter

Some have argued that amending the requirements for a ____, for example not allowing members to speak to an empty chamber, would improve the process of passing legislation.

Filibuster

Leaders in both the House and Senate are chosen for their ability to do which of the following?

Frame issues along party lines Raise money for fellow party members Control the legislative agenda

The privilege of incumbents to send mail to their constituencies at the government's expense is known as ____ privilege.

Franking

The privilege of incumbents to send mail to their constituencies at the government's expense is known as ____ privileges.

Franking

The redrawing congressional boundaries to benefit a political party is called

Gerrymandering

If the majority of the members of the House of Representatives are Republican, then every committee and subcommittee in the House will

Have a majority of Republican members.

Which of the following contribute to incumbents have an advantage over their challengers during congressional elections?

Having easier access to medial coverage Having greater name recognition Being able to raise money more easily

Interest groups and their lobbyists assist members of Congress in all of the following ways, except

Helping members communicate with voters.

President may be impeached for which of the following reasons?

High crimes and misdemeanor Bribery Treason

Following decentralization of Congress, the role of party leadership increased as they faced enormous pressure to

Highlight partisan differences. Utilize chamber rules to ensure success. Deliver legislative results.

Which of the following resulted from severely polarized political parties in government?

Highly partisan atmosphere Gridlock Unclear legislative agendas

In order to delay the approval of presidential appointments to the Supreme Court, the Senate has resorted to the use of ____, which allow individual members to delay confirmation indefinitely.

Holds

The ____ is responsible for action as the prosecutor during impeachment, while the ____ acts as the jury.

House; Senate

Although lawmaking is the primary power of Congress, it also possesses the power to do which of the following?

Impeach federal officials Fund the government through the budget

Which of the following may be unintended effects of racial gerrymandering?

It increases the number of districts that elect white representatives It may work against the achievement of policies that minorities support

Which of the following statement about the Senate in the mid-century are true?

Its debates were intense and sometimes violent It eclipsed the presidency as the hub of policy formation

A committee that is composed of members of both chambers of Congress is known as a ____ committee.

Joint

Which of the following are part of a Congress member's personal staff, responsible for linking citizens to their representative?

Legislative director Appointment secretary Press secretary

During the Progressive Era a number of changes were made in Congressional rules and procedures in order to

Make the chambers more professional Ensure that members became experts in the matters they legislated Reduce the influence of party bosses

All of the following are "home-style" activities aimed at better representation, except

Making statements on the floor of the House or Senate.

Besides passing law, members of Congress are expected to do which of the following?

Meet with lobbyist Work with policy experts Represent their consituents

The ____ leader is the leader of the minority party in the House and is responsible for marshaling support for that party's agenda.

Minority

The main responsibility of the Senate ____ ____ is to work with the Senate majority leader in negotiating legislation.

Minority leader

The power of ____, whereby Congress monitors the executive branch, is not enumerated in the Constitution but instead is implied by the system of checks and balances.

Oversight

Which of the following changes resulted from a growth of diversity in congressional representation during the 1960s and 1970s?

Passing new legislation designed to protect minorities Weakening the seniority system Opening committee meetings to the public

During the Constitutional Convention, some delegates called for representation based on population, which meant almost half the seats in the Senate and the House would have been commanded by which of the following states?

Pennsylvania Virginia Massachusetts

Members of Congress have personal staff in Washington, DC, and in their district offices back in their home states. The DC staff focuses on ____ issues, and the district offices handle ____.

Policy; casework

The majority party in Congress controls which of the following elements in the chamber?

Positions of leadership The flow of legislation The composition of committees

Which of the following "checks" has Congress been granted by the Constitution, allowing it to monitor the actions of the other branches?

Power to approve treaties. Power to override a presidential veto Power to impeach federal officials.

Which of the following are enumerated powers granted to Congress in the Constitution allowing it to regulate the nation's economy?

Power to coin and borrow money Power to tax Power to regulate commerce between the states

Which of the following occurs every ten years after the U.S. census and determines how many seats a state receives in the House of Representatives?

Reapportionment

____ refers to the process of amending spending bills to meet budget targets.

Reconciliation

The practice of redrawing congressional district lines to accord with changes in a state's population is called

Redistricting

Despite being incumbents and having a high probability of being reelected, members of Congress face challenges due to

Redistricting.

Which of the following electoral reforms have been suggested as ways to increase voter approval of Congress?

Reducing the role of money in congressional elections Removing the practices that protect incumbents Allowing candidates access to free medial time

During midterm elections, the out-of-power party will attempt to farm the election as a

Referendum on the president's policies.

Which of the following congressional reforms are likely to improve voter perception on Congress?

Removing the senatorial hold Ending the possibility of a filibuster

Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have two primary functions, first to make laws and second to

Represent their constituents.

In the House, the Committee on ____ is responsible for determining the debate and amendment procedures for each bill prior to it going to the floor for debate.

Rules

Which of the following is true regarding resources and successfully running for Congress?

Running for office is generally a viable option only for the wealthy

The Constitution gives the ____ the power to approve treaties negotiated by the president.

Senate

The ____ has the power to approve presidential treaties and to confirm presidential appointments to the federal judiciary.

Senate

The ____ system rewards those with longer service in Congress with positions of leadership and powerful committee assignments.

Seniority

Traditionally, the House has used the ____ system determine which members are assigned as chairs of standing committees.

Seniority

Choosing committee chairs based on which member has the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee is an example of the ____ ____.

Seniority system

The president's appointments to the federal judiciary, ambassadorships, and "other" public ministries and counsels require a ____ majority vote in the Senate.

Simple

Which of the following issues divided the Congress along with the nation, eventually leading to the dissolution of the Union?

Slavery

A permanent committee in Congress, which continues from session to session and has jurisdiction in a variety of subject areas, is known as ____ committee.

Standing

A permanent committee in Congress, which continues from session to session and has jurisdiction in a variety of subject areas, is known as a ____ committee.

Standing

What type of committee typically handles specific areas of a standing committee's jurisdiction?

Subcommittees

Which of the following are perks given to members of Congress?

Tax deductions for living expenses in Washington, DC. Reimbursement for travel to and from their district Generous pension benefits

Constituent services in an important way for members of Congress to build favor with constituents and to ensure

That they are reelected.

Party polarization, the ideological divide between the major parties, is wider today than it has been since the period following

The Civil War

Which committee sets the structure for each debate that ensues in the full House?

The Committee on Rules

Which committee sets the structure for each debate that ensures in the full House?

The Committee on Rules

Which congressional chamber has the power to impeach or bring formal changes against federal officials.

The House of Representatives

Which amendment gave voters the power to directly elect their U.S. senators?

The Seventeenth Amendment

At the end of the Civil War, the leadership in the House gained enormous influence by controlling which of the following elements of Congressional action?

The content of bill brought to the floor Timing of legislation in the House Rewarding members with important assignments

The elastic clause gave more power to

The federal government.

The War Powers Resolution requires that the president do which of the following when deploying troops without a formal declaration of war?

The president must report to Congress within 48 hours of the deployment. The president must remove troops within 60 to 90 days if war isn't declared.

The size of a committee staff depends on which of the following?

The size of the committee The committee's jurisdiction

Who has the power to preside over the Senate and vote in case of a tie but otherwise has little real authority in the Senate?

The vice president of the United States.

Which of the following presidents were successful in diminishing the power of congress during the twentieth century?

Theodore Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt

Which of the following about midterm elections are true?

There is less media coverage of candidates and issues that in a presidential election. Voter turnout is lower than for presidential elections. The president's party usually loses seats.

Non-party caucuses, such as the Congressional Black Caucus, differ from formal caucuses in which of the following ways?

They lack funding from Congress. they lack formal recognition.

The Farmers intentionally chose the words declare war rather than make war when determining Congress's constitutional authority because

They wanted the president to have the power to repel a sudden attack.

Which of the following are key resources needed to successfully run for office?

Time Money

Why do members of Congress use home-style politics?

To gauge the pulse of their communities To explain their actions in Washington To present themselves to constituents

The reconciliation process is often used in the Senate for which of the following purposes, as demonstrated during the final passage of the Affordable Health Care Act of 2010?

To pass bills with a simply majority To avoid the filibuster

Members of Congress initiate contact with their constituents to serve which of the following purposes?

To share information about legislative activities To provide constituents with contact information about government services To solicit opinions on current issues

Rules for debate in the Senate are determined by which of the following agreements that are requested by the majority leader and prohibit extensive debate?

Unanimous consent

The War Powers Resolution was passed by Congress in the wake of the ____ War as at attempt to restrain presidential power.

Vietnam

Which of the following laws prevents states from drawing district lines that adversely affects the voting rights of racial and ethnic minorities?

Voters Rights Act of 1965

Which of the following are changes to the electoral environment attributable to midterm elections?

Voters are biased against the president's party There is lower voter turnout Voters are more partisan

Why is voter turnout for congressional election low?

Voters are turned off by the politics of winning.

Which of the following are congressional leaders who are responsible for ensuring that party members are present for floor votes and prepared to vote as the party wishes?

Whips