Gov test on congress
In which year did Congress pass all stand-alone appropriations (spending) bills on time?
1977
Which of the following scenarios is an example of the trustee model of representation?
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 senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state
The Supreme Court's decision in Shaw v. Reno (1993) is most applicable to which of the following scenarios?
A state legislature approves a redistricting plan that draws district lines on basis of race.
The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings?
A subcommittee
Which of the following accurately compares the powers of Congress and the president?
Congress Has Greater Control: Budgetary policy President Has Greater Control: Cabinet appointments
Which of the following is an example of Congress using its implied powers?
Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector
Which of the following best reflects the holding in the case Baker v. Carr (1962) ?
Created a one-person, one-vote standard for reviewing congressional districts.
A "cloture motion" passed in the Senate does which of the following?
Cuts off debate on a bill.
Which of the following actions by a congressional representative is an example of "pork barreling"?
Directing federal funds into the representative's district through legislation
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 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 generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts?
It creates districts that favor one political party over another.
Which of the following is true about divided party control of the presidency and Congress?
It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades.
Which of the following categories accounted for the majority of spending in 2017, according to the chart?
Mandatory
Which of the following describes the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ?
Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.
Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress?
The Speaker of the House
Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?
The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.
Based on your knowledge and the diagram, which of the following is true regarding the leadership structure of Congress?
The role of the minority leader in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is to coordinate a strategy for the minority party.
Based on your knowledge and the diagram, which of the following is true regarding the leadership structure of Congress? (Diagram of the house of representatives and senate)
The role of the minority leader in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is to coordinate a strategy for the minority party.
Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true?
They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.
Despite concerns raised by her constituents, a member of the House of Representatives votes in favor of a bill, believing that in the long term it is in the best interest of her constituents. This is an example of which of the following models of representation?
Trustee
Which of the following committees plays a major role in the House in shaping tax policy?
Ways and Means
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 conference committee for review and compromise
After extensive polling, a member of the House of Representatives learns that her constituents favor universal background checks for all gun purchases. Based on this information, the representative votes in favor of background checks in a criminal justice bill, although she personally opposes the provision. In doing so, she is acting as a
delegate
The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it
determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor
The term "bicameralism" refers to the
establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules
Establishing the boundaries of United States congressional districts to give one party an advantage over another party is referred to as
gerrymandering
Federal benefits that must be funded by Congress and must be paid to all citizens who meet eligibility criteria are called
individual entitlements
A difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that in the House
legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules
The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives rests on its authority to
place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate and determine the type of amendments allowed
To get an important bill passed in the House, a provision is added that allocates $500 million to study the impact of global climate change on manatees in Florida. This is an example of
pork barrel legislation
The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by
the state legislatures
Which of the following Supreme Court cases involved the principle of "one person, one vote"?
Baker v. Carr
Which of the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the decision in Baker v. Carr (1962) ?
Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.
Which of the following is true according to the diagram? (Diagram of the house of representatives and senate)
Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.
When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee?
Conference
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.
I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally. This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy. The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty. Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. . . . It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. George Washington's Farewell Address, 1796 Which of the following scenarios illustrates Washington's concerns?
Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock.
In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary Presidency. . . . The imperial Presidency was essentially the creation of foreign policy. A combination of doctrines and emotions—belief in the permanent and universal crisis, fear of communism, faith in the duty and right of the United States to intervene swiftly in every part of the world—had brought about the unprecedented centralization of decisions. Prolonged war in Vietnam strengthened the tendencies toward both centralization and exclusion. So the imperial Presidency grew at the expense of the constitutional order. Like the cowbird, it hatched its own eggs and pushed the others out of the nest. And, as it overwhelmed the traditional separation of powers in foreign affairs, it began to aspire toward an equivalent centralization of power in the domestic polity. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., The Imperial Presidency, 1973 Which of the following situations best reflects the author's concern about an "imperial" presidency?
The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements
Which of the following best describes the holding in Baker v. Carr (1961) ?
Unequal representation of citizens in legislative districts is unconstitutional and may be reviewed by the courts.
A member of the United States Senate, Jane Smith, personally opposes a bill that calls for a single-payer system of healthcare, in contrast to the majority of her constituency, who are in favor of the legislation. Based on the trustee model of constituent accountability, which of the following actions will Senator Smith most likely take when it is time to vote on the piece of legislation?
Vote against the bill according to her own conscience, which may cause her to lose support among her constituents.
A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always
a member of the majority party in the chamber
Debate of a bill in the House of Representatives under a "closed rule" means that
amendments to the bill cannot be offered
The committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill is called a
conference committee
The congressional system of standing committees is significant because it
fosters the development of expertise by members
"Pork barrel" legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because such legislation
helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district
The largest source of federal revenue is the
income tax
Much of the steady increase in federal government expenditures since 1960 has been caused by
increases in entitlement programs
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
logrolling
According to the United States Constitution, all revenue bills must
originate in the House of Representatives
Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT
pardoning felons
Congressional standing committees are best described as
permanent subject-matter committees
The term "pork barrel" refers to legislation specifically designed to
provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents
The role of a conference committee in Congress is to
reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
Most of the bills introduced in the House and the Senate are then
referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress
The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because
the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor
The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in
the United States House of Representatives
The House Appropriations Committee disagrees with a proposal in the president's annual budget request to increase the number of people eligible for food stamps, consequently leading to the House of Representatives passing a budget that does not increase funding for the program. This ability to check presidential actions is best described as
the power of the purse
The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most strongly with
their political party affiliation
A major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that
there is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House
Federal budget entitlements refer to spending
to provide individual benefits established by legislation
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?
Agriculture
Based on the data, which of the following is the most likely consequence for the legislative process in Congress?
An increase in gridlock and failure to compromise on legislation
Which of the following identifies the formal procedure for ending a filibuster?
Cloture
Which of the following accurately describes the composition of congressional committees?
Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process.
Which of the following is an example of a power exclusively granted to the Senate in Article II of the Constitution?
Confirming ambassadors
Which of the following is the most likely consequence of divided government?
Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees
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?
Delegate
The government depicted above is best described by which of the following terms?
Divided government
Federal spending for which of the following is determined by laws that lie outside the regular budgetary process?
Entitlement programs such as Social Security
The largest portion of "uncontrollable spending" in the federal budget is designated for which of the following?
Entitlement spending
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Establishing federal courts
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 statements is true based on the bar graph?
From 2011 to 2016, no stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.
If Congress wanted to effect a change in the Social Security payroll tax, to what congressional committee would the task initially be assigned?
House Ways and Means Committee
To which of the following congressional committees would a proposal to reform the national income-tax system initially be sent?
House Ways and Means Committee
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?
House of Representatives: Debate on bills is limited Senate: Debate on bills can be unlimited
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of procedures in the House of Representatives and procedures in the Senate?
House of Representatives: The Rules Committee decides how long debate will be on most bills. Senate: The minority can use the filibuster to defeat a bill.
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.
I, II, and IV only
In 2013 a parliamentary procedure was implemented in the Senate that allowed a simple majority vote to end debate on Cabinet member confirmations. Which of the following best explains how the procedural change relates to the information in the graphic?
If the procedural change had not occurred, Republican senators would not have been able to immediately invoke cloture of a filibuster.
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?
Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process.
Which of the following statements about the Senate is true?
Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process.
Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true?
It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible.
Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics?
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?
Rules
Which of the following committees of the House of Representatives sets the conditions for debate and amendment of most legislation?
Rules
A new president has been elected after running on a campaign of lowering taxes and reducing spending on discretionary programs but now must work with Congress to ensure legislation passes which achieves those goals. Which of the leaders in the diagram plays the most crucial role in shaping the legislation that the president wants passed?
Speaker of the House
Which of the following types of committee deals with broad areas of public policy and can be found in both houses of Congress?
Standing
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?
The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.
Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct?
The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings.
If a bill reaches the floor for debate and a member of the minority party opposes the bill, which of the following provides greater leverage to a senator than to a member of the House to block passage of the bill?
The Senate allows for unlimited floor debate that can hold up a vote, while the House has strict limits on debate.
Which of the following is a unique power held by members of the Senate?
The ability to filibuster
Which of the following conclusions can be drawn based on the table?
The bill was able to pass because some Republicans and Independents voted for it along with all Democrats.
Which of the following has decreased in Congress over the past twenty years?
The influence of committee chairs
Which of the following statements about Congress is true?
The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining.
Which of the following situations best illustrates the meaning of divided government in the United States political system?
The majority of senators and the majority of representatives are from one party, but the president is from another.
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?
The necessary and proper clause
Which of the following best describes gerrymandering?
The party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries in such a way as to favor its own candidates in subsequent elections.
Which of the following enumerated powers would permit Congress to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed citizens?
The power to pass a federal budget
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
The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money.This is an example of
an enumerated power
Elections for the House of Representative provide
approximately equal representation for every voter
Enumerated powers of the federal government include all of the following EXCEPT the power to
regulate intrastate commerce
Nominations to the Supreme Court must be approved by a
simple majority vote in the Senate only
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is
spending on national parks
Most of the work of legislating in Congress takes place in
standing committees
Congressional district boundaries are usually redrawn every ten years by the
state legislatures
The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by
state legislatures
Fiscal policies refer to the government's power to
tax and spend
