AP GOV'T UNIT 4

What percentage of the Senate is up for election every 2 years? Why was the Senate structured this way?

1/3; continuous body and promotes stability

How do you override a presidential veto (be specific)?

2/3 vote from both houses

delegate

A person appointed or elected to represent others

How is the Speaker of the House selected?

Members of the house vote to elect the speaker; Majority party

What are implied powers?

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

politico

Role played by elected representatives who act as trustees or as delegates, depending on the issue.

Explain what mandatory spending means. Give an example.

US has to provide $ to people; social security

Who presides over the Senate and breaks tie votes?

Vice President

Trustee

a representative who votes based on what he or she thinks is best for his or her constituency

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. 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. c. Congressional redistricting must involve traditionally excluded groups in the process or it violates the equal protection clause. d. To ensure equal protection under the law, there should be an equal number of rural and urban districts in a state.

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

What conclusion can you reach from the fact that informal congressional caucus groups such as the black caucus and caucus for women's issues have been formed? a. Caucus groups were organized to better serve voter constituents. b. Caucus groups have had little impact on the legislative process. c. There is an indirect relationship between these groups and special interest groups. d. Democratic caucus groups were more powerful than Republican groups. e. Republican groups were more numerous than Democratic groups.

a. Caucus groups were organized to better serve voter constituents.

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

a. Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.

The House ________ Committee prioritizes bills before they go on to the full House, thus performing a traffic cop function. a. Ways and Means b. Rules c. Review d. Authorization e. Appropriations

a. Ways and Means

Which is true about midterm elections? a. the president's party typically loses seats in Congress. b. congressional leadership is rotated to the party that has been out of power. c. they typically lead to the resignation of a president's Cabinet. d. the reelection rates of incumbents are significantly lower than they are in presidential election years. e. one third of the House seats are up for reelection.

a. the president's party typically loses seats in Congress.

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

b. Created a one-person, one-vote standard for reviewing congressional districts.

A congressional committee was created to investigate any intelligence failures that might have occurred prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. What kind of committee does this represent? a. Conference b. Select c. Standing d. Joint e. Oversight

b. Select

Congressional districts for the House are determined in the majority of states by a. The Supreme Court b. A nonpartisan commission c. A census and the various state legislatures d. A vote held in the Senate by the majority party e. An executive order of the president

c. A census and the various state legislatures

The Constitution provides that one-third of the Senate's membership is up for election every two years so that a. Voters have more of a chance to change control of the Senate from one party to another b. Congressional apportionment can alter the size of House districts c. The entire House and entire Senate are not elected in the same year d. House members may decide whether to run for the Senate e. Committee assignments can be alternated between Democrats and Republicans

c. The entire House and entire Senate are not elected in the same year

What is an expost facto law?

charged of a crime before a law was made

What did the War Powers Act do?

clarifies the relationship and powers of congress V. the president

What branch of our government declares war?

congress

Which of the following is a major cause of the inability of Congress to pass legislation? a. The increased number of southern Republicans elected to Congress b. Lobbyists influencing Congress c. The change in the party identification of voters d. Divided party control of the Congress e. The number of bills proposed by the president

d. Divided party control of the Congress

Which of the following statements is true of most bills introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate? a. Most bills are passed by one chamber of Congress but die from lack of support in the opposite chamber. b. Almost every bill in Congress dies from lack of support in the House Rules Committee. c. Most bills are passed by committees but die from lack of support in the respective chamber. d. Most bills are referred to appropriate committees but are never sent to the full Congress, they simply die in committee. e. Most bills are withdrawn by the bill's sponsor before even being considered.

d. Most bills are referred to appropriate committees but are never sent to the full Congress, they simply die in committee.

Those who argue that the House of Representatives is the government institution most responsive to the will of the public are most likely to cite as evidence the fact that a. Congressional reelection campaigns are extremely costly b. Term limits may soon restrict the number of years a congressperson may serve c. Congress has oversight power over many executive agencies d. Representatives must run for reelection every two years e. Average citizens may, on occasion, be called to testify before a congressional committee

d. Representatives must run for reelection every two years

Which of the following statements is NOT true about the United States Senate? a. There is no rules committee to limit debate in the Senate. b. Until the 17th Amendment, senators were elected by state legislatures. c. It shares the ability to declare war with the House of Representatives. d. The membership of the Senate has always been made up of more common individuals rather than the rich elite. e. The vice president presides over the Senate and only votes in the event of a tie.

d. The membership of the Senate has always been made up of more common individuals rather than the rich elite.

To actually fund a program, Congress must pass an ________ bill. a. omnibus b. impoundment c. authorization d. appropriations e. expenditure

d. appropriations

When members of Congress hold a hearing to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, they are engaging in a. agenda-setting. b. logrolling c. pork barrelling. d. legislative oversight. e. congressional administration.

d. legislative oversight.

In its investigation of Supreme Court nominees, the Senate Judiciary Committee a. is basically a rubber stamp for the president's nomination. b. limits its investigation to the nominee's judicial integrity and experience. c. plays a minor role d. may probe a nominee's judicial philosophy in great detail. e. follows the custom of senatorial courtesy.

d. may probe a nominee's judicial philosophy in great detail.

What does it mean when a bill is pigeonholed? How can it be un-pigeonholed?

die in committee; discharge petition

How did the composition of Congress change between 1950 and 2002? a. There was no change in the number of ethnic minorities, but the number of women increased. b. There was no change in the number of women, but the number of African Americans increased c. The percentage of African Americans in Congress is similar to the percentage of African Americans in the country as a whole. d. There are fewer Hispanics but more African Americans and women. e. Although representation does not mirror the population as a whole, there are more minorities and women than previously.

e. Although representation does not mirror the population as a whole, there are more minorities and women than previously.

Which of the following statements concerning the Speaker of the House of Representatives is TRUE? a. The Speaker must be endorsed by the Supreme Court because of the importance of the position. b. The Speaker is chosen by the president and confirmed by the Senate c. The Speaker must be at least 35 years of age. d. The Speaker only votes whenever the House vote has ended in a tie. e. The Speaker is elected by the majority party in the House of Representatives.

e. The Speaker is elected by the majority party in the House of Representatives.

Whips have which of the following functions? a. They preside over the House when the speaker is absent. b. They make appointments to the various House and Senate committees. c. They work closely with the minority party in the name of bipartisanship. d. They act as direct liaisons to the White House. e. They are responsible for keeping party member inline when a vote occurs.

e. They are responsible for keeping party member inline when a vote occurs.

Most bills formally submitted for consideration in Congress a. are passed and signed into law. b. are passed, but vetoed by the president. c. are defeated in final votes on the floors of one chamber. d. pass one house, but are killed in the other house. e. are quietly killed off early in the process.

e. are quietly killed off early in the process.

An example of casework by a member of Congress is a. writing a newsletter to send out to constituents. b. working with a caucus on public policy. c. voting for a bill desired by constituents. d. meeting with an interest group's lobbyist. e. helping a constituent gain financial aid from the Small Business Administration.

e. helping a constituent gain financial aid from the Small Business Administration.

Compared to members of the House, senators are generally a. less likely to use television in their reelection campaigns. b. as likely to win reelection c. less affluent. d. more likely to have personal contact with their constituents. e. more likely to face difficult reelection opponents.

e. more likely to face difficult reelection opponents.

Question 5 Which of the following is a largely ceremonial position in the Senate? a. minority leader b. majority leader c. minority whip d. majority whip e. president pro tempore

e. president pro tempore

How often are House members elected?

every 2 years

How often are Senators elected?

every 6 years

Who does Congress work with to create the budget?

executive branch

Explain what discretionary spending means. Give an example.

flexible/ gov't has choice; education

What is the "revolving door"?

former congress person becomes a lobyist

What happens when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill?

goes to the conference committee to make it the same

What is a bill of attainder?

law declaring a person guilty of a crime without a court trial

Where does the most important work of Congress take place?

legislative committees in both houses

What can Congress do with the courts?

make lower federal courts

How would you describe the budget negotiation process over the last 10 years? What has happened as a result?

partisanship; gridlock

What is the main cause of Congress's inability to pass legislation?

pigeonholed

If Congress wanted to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed people, what enumerated power would they be using?

power to tax and spend

What is perhaps the most important power that Congress has?

power to tax and spend

What are inherent powers?

powers claimed by a president that are not expressed in the Constitution but are inferred from it

Who's the OMB? What do they do?

research budget for next following year

Who is the traffic cop of the House of Representatives?

rules committee

Who controls the agenda for the Senate?

senate majority leader

What are enumerated powers?

specifically listed in the constitution

Who draws Congressional districts?

state legislatures

Who used to elect Senators? Why did that change?

state legislatures; 17th amendment

What does it mean when I say "revenue bill"?

tax bill

Explain the President's powers as they are related to the military.

troop deployment

How can Congress address a Supreme Court action they disagree with?

write laws