plsc 403 final
Which motion allows for the consideration of bills in the Senate? a. Motion to proceed b. Motion to recommit c. Motion to table d. Previous question motion
a. Motion to proceed
What is the term for the Senate strategy to change the cloture rule by overriding the ruling of the presiding officer? a. Nuclear option b. Unanimous consent c. Hold d. Special rule
a. Nuclear option
What is the term for the process of adjusting the budget to account for changes in expected expenditures and revenue? a. Reconciliation b. Appropriations bill c. Continuing resolution d. Spending ceiling
a. Reconciliation
What is the term for a resolution that sets out specific procedural details for handling a bill? a. Special rule b. Regular order c. Standard procedure d. Unorthodox lawmaking
a. Special rule
What is the name of rules that open congressional activity to public scrutiny? a. Sunshine rules b. Sunset rules c. Public disclosure requirements d. Open government acts
a. Sunshine rules
The 1946 law that reduced the number of standing committees, guaranteed a professional staff for committees, and clarified committee jurisdiction was called what? a. The Legislative Reorganization Act b. The Open Government Act c. The Federal Election Campaign Act d. The Government Performance and Results Act
a. The Legislative Reorganization Act
About what percentage of federal spending is approved by Congress in annual appropriations bills? a. 10% b. 40% c. 60% d. 100%
b. 40%
Who decides whether a bill is referred to a subcommittee? a. Subcommittee chairs b. Committee chairs c. Party leaders d. The full committee
b. Committee chairs
Which theory of committee organization sees committees as a way in which legislators can allocate the benefits of public policy and federal spending to their states and districts? a. Informational theory b. Distributive theory c. Committee cartel theory d. Partisan theory
b. Distributive theory
What is the name for provisions to fund individual projects supported by individual members? a. Holds b. Earmarks c. Supplemental appropriations d. Budgetary notes
b. Earmarks
How are full committee chairs selected in the House? a. Seniority b. Elected by the committee (for Republicans) and then the full party (for both Democrats and Republicans) c. Party leaders select chairs d. Subcommittee leaders vote for the chair
b. Elected by the committee (for Republicans) and then the full party (for both Democrats and Republicans)
Seniority in committee refers to which of the following? a. How long a member has served in the chamber b. How long a member has served on a committee c. A member's age d. How long a member has served in either branch of Congress
b. How long a member has served on a committee
How does the Byrd Rule limit what can be accomplished in a reconciliation bill? a. It mandates that the reconciliation bill cannot increase the deficit. b. It bars extraneous matter from reconciliation bills. c. It requires that reconciliation bills must cut government spending. d. It forces reconciliation bills to increase entitlement spending.
b. It bars extraneous matter from reconciliation bills.
Committee meetings for considering and reviewing details of legislation are known by what term? a. Hearings b. Markups c. Jurisdiction d. Conference
b. Markups
Which type of rule allows amendments except for a specific title or section of a bill? a. Open rule b. Modified open rule c. Modified closed rule d. Closed rule
b. Modified open rule
Rules for spending and revenue that require new spending to be offset by spending cuts or tax increases are known as a. dynamic scoring. b. PAYGO. c. sequestration. d. Byrd Rule.
b. PAYGO.
How have lobbyists tried to get specific projects funded after earmarks were banned? a. Persuading members to ignore the ban on earmarks b. Persuading executive branch officials to include these projects in the president's budget request c. Asking members to increase discretionary spending. d. Finding private donors
b. Persuading executive branch officials to include these projects in the president's budget request
Which of the following is the term for the ability of committees to gain the approval of legislation opposed by others? a. Power of the purse b. Positive power c. Negative power d. Legislative power
b. Positive power
What is the ratio of majority to minority members on most committees? a. All majority party members with no minority party members b. Roughly equivalent to the ratio of majority to minority members in the chamber c. Equal between majority and minority party members d. 60% majority party members to 40% minority party members
b. Roughly equivalent to the ratio of majority to minority members in the chamber
What is the majority needed to invoke cloture and end debate on regular legislation in the modern senate? a. One-half plus one b. Three-fifths c. Two-thirds d. Three-fourths
b. Three-fifths
What is the name of the process by which the Senate commonly conducts business by suspending the rules to get around inefficient and lengthy procedures? a. Nuclear option b. Unanimous consent c. Germaneness d. Unorthodox legislating
b. Unanimous consent
Appropriations bills are a. bills that set up the federal budget procedure. b. bills that approve spending for federal agencies. c. targets for expenditures and revenues. d. adjustments to budget resolutions.
b. bills that approve spending for federal agencies.
The informational theory of committees suggests that committees exist for the benefit of which group of members? a. All members b. Floor majorities c. Party leaders d. Committee members
a. All members
Which committee are convened after different versions of a bill have passed the House and the Senate? a. Conference committees b. Standing committees c. Select committees d. Ad hoc committees
a. Conference committees
Which of the following is a way to bypass committees in the House? a. Discharge petition b. Committees refusing referral c. Multiple referral d. Placing a bill on the Union Calendar
a. Discharge petition
The rule that required the CBO to estimate the effect of legislation by taking into account macroeconomic effects is known as what? a. Dynamic scoring b. PAYGO c. Sequestration d. The Byrd Rule
a. Dynamic scoring
20. How are subcommittee chairs selected in the Senate? a. Majority party members choose their subcommittee chairmanship on the basis of seniority. b. They are elected by the committee (for Republicans) and then the full party (for both Democrats and Republicans). c. Party leaders select subcommittee chairs. d. Committee chairs appoint subcommittee chairs.
a. Majority party members choose their subcommittee chairmanship on the basis of seniority.
19. What determines the size of the minority committee staff in the Senate? a. The allocation reflects the relative ratio of majority to minority party members on the committee. b. The allocation guarantees the minority ten committee staff members. c. The allocation gives the minority one-third of the committee staff. d. The allocation gives the minority an equal number of staffers as the majority party contingent of the committee.
a. The allocation reflects the relative ratio of majority to minority party members on the committee.
Who provides the budget request that initiates the congressional budget process? a. The president b. The Committee on Ways and Means c. The Senate Budget Committee d. The Speaker of the House
a. The president
When Congress does not pass appropriations bills, it can instead pass a joint resolution authorizing temporary spending authority at the previous year's level, known as a a. continuing resolution. b. discretionary measure. c. budget reconciliation. d. federal outlay.
a. continuing resolution.
The power of standing committees to obstruct legislation is known as a. gatekeeping. b. positive power. c. ex post veto. d. cloture.
a. gatekeeping.
Sending legislation to more than one committee is known as a. multiple referral. b. jurisdictional reform. c. primary referral. d. subcommittee markup.
a. multiple referral.
Which of the following is not a reason that committee chairs face more effective competition for power and control over policy? a. Rank-and-file legislators have larger staffs and can turn to outside groups for assistance. b. Parties adopted changes in rules to force their chairs to face party approval. c. Committee chairs have gained an informational advantage relative to other members. d. Rank-and-file legislators are more likely to appeal to central party leaders.
c. Committee chairs have gained an informational advantage relative to other members.
. In what committee does the full House of Representatives convene to debate and consider amendments? a. Committee on Ways and Means b. House Rules Committee c. Committee of the Whole d. House Floor Committee
c. Committee of the Whole
What aspect of reconciliation was accepted as a change in Senate procedure? a. Budget bills could not originate in the Senate. b. Budget bills must be passed with a two-thirds majority. c. Debate is limited to twenty hours. d. Non-germane amendments are allowed.
c. Debate is limited to twenty hours.
Which of the following is an example of discretionary spending? a. Medicare b. Medicaid c. Defense d. Social Security
c. Defense
4. Which House committee always has the same number of Democrats and Republicans sitting on it? a. Ways and Means b. Rules c. Ethics d. Energy and Commerce
c. Ethics
What is the most important formal information-gathering mechanism available to committees? a. Staff research b. Meeting with interest groups c. Hearings d. Markups
c. Hearings
Who can sponsor a bill in Congress? a. Any citizen b. Members of Congress and the president c. Members of Congress only d. Members of the House of Representatives only
c. Members of Congress only
What type of rules have the House vote on a series of alternatives in a specified order, with the one that receives the most votes winning? a. Restrictive rules b. King-of-the-Hill rules c. Queen-of-the-Hill rules d. Time limit rules
c. Queen-of-the-Hill rules
Why would a party want to incorporate tax legislation into reconciliation bills? a. Reconciliation bills have to pass for the government to operate. b. Reconciliation bills must have minority input. c. Reconciliation bills cannot be filibustered in the Senate. d. Reconciliation bills cannot increase the deficit for a period beyond ten years.
c. Reconciliation bills cannot be filibustered in the Senate.
Which is most important for determining subcommittee chairs in both the House and the Senate? a. Party loyalty b. Seniority in the chamber c. Seniority on the committee d. Importance of the committee to the member's district
c. Seniority on the committee
Which committee type can report legislation to the floor and is permanent? a. Select committees b. Joint committees c. Standing committees d. Conference committees
c. Standing committees
What do proponents argue is the positive side of earmarks? a. They reduce government spending. b. They advantage rank-and-file lawmakers. c. They allow legislators to override the decisions of bureaucrats in determining priorities. d. They provide good publicity for Congress as a whole.
c. They allow legislators to override the decisions of bureaucrats in determining priorities.
Automatic across-the-board spending cuts if a maximum spending level is reached are known as a. dynamic scoring. b. PAYGO. c. sequestration. d. Byrd Rule.
c. sequestration.
Which is closest to the deficit in fiscal year 2019? a. There was no deficit. b. $200 billion c. $500 billion d. $1 trillion
d. $1 trillion
Which of the following is not a step in the standard legislative process? a. Floor Scheduling b. Committee referral c. Conference committee d. Adoption of debate rules
d. Adoption of debate rules
Which of the following is a way to bypass committees in the Senate? a. Introducing non-germane amendments on the floor b. Objecting to a bill being referred to committee c. Suspending the rules d. All of the above
d. All of the above
What is the name for the type of legislation that allows for the spending of money but does not actually spend that money? a. Appropriations b. Budget c. Reconciliation d. Authorizations
d. Authorizations
Which of the following changes public law? a. Joint resolution b. Concurrent resolution c. Bills d. Both a. and c.
d. Both a. and c.
Which of the following is not a non-regular appropriations bill? a. Supplemental appropriations bill b. Continuing resolution c. Omnibus appropriations bill d. Impoundment bill
d. Impoundment bill
Which of the following is not a joint committee that exists? a. Joint Economic Committee b. Joint Committee on Printing c. Joint Committee on the Library d. Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs
d. Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs
Which of the following is an example of unorthodox legislating? a. Offering non-germane amendments in the House b. Motions to proceed c. Previous question motions d. Objecting to a bill's referral to committee
d. Objecting to a bill's referral to committee
When does the fiscal year for the federal government begin? a. January 1 b. April 15 c. July 4 d. October 1
d. October 1
Which group determines committee assignments? a. Individual members select the committee they are put on. b. The full chamber c. Committee chairs d. Parties
d. Parties
What motion ends debate on a bill in the House? a. Motion to proceed b. Motion to recommit c. Motion to table d. Previous question motion
d. Previous question motion
Which House committee has more than twice as many majority party members as minority party members? a. Ethics b. Energy and Commerce c. Ways and Means d. Rules
d. Rules
Combining unpopular policy provisions with more popular ones to win support for a bill is known as a. persuasion. b. markup. c. leverage. d. packaging.
d. packaging.