Question 1

__________ committees are standing committees that include members from both houses of Congress, and are set up to conduct investigations or special studies.

Accepted Answer

The answer of __________ committees are standing committees that include...

Question 2

Congressional whips serve what main function?

Accepted Answer

A)   act as official spokespersons for their chambers
B)   help the Speaker schedule proposed legislation for debate
C)   meet with members of the executive cabinet
D)   persuade party members to toe the party line
E)   serve as personal assistants to the majority and minority leadersF) D) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 3

In the face of inaction by House membership, a discharge petition signed by a majority can force a bill out of a committee and to the floor.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

The House currently has 435 members, but this number increases every ten years with the taking of the census, as mandated by the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Bicameralism conformed to the framers' belief that the legislative branch-the center of policymaking for government-ought to be a place where the public's business is deliberated __________.

Accepted Answer

A)   aggressively and unyieldingly
B)   carefully and slowly
C)   impassively and impartially
D)   quickly and conscientiously
E)   quickly and efficientlyF) B) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 6

What best represents the trend of party polarization over the last three decades?

Accepted Answer

A)   Both Republicans and Democrats have become more conservative.
B)   Both Republicans and Democrats have become more liberal.
C)   Both Republicans and Democrats have become more moderate.
D)   Party polarization has decreased as bipartisanship has increased.
E)   Party polarization has increased as bipartisanship has decreased.F) A) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 7

A bill can be introduced by a member of Congress, a member of the executive branch, or a member of a special interest group.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Women and racial minorities are __________ in Congress.

Accepted Answer

A)   proportionately represented
B)   significantly overrepresented
C)   significantly underrepresented
D)   slightly overrepresented
E)   slightly underrepresentedF) A) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 9

Describe majority-minority districts and explain their purpose(s).

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Describe majo...

Question 10

United States v. Lopez (1995)  demonstrated the federalist tension between __________.

Accepted Answer

A)   Republicans and Democrats
B)   states and the national government
C)   the judicial and legislative branches
D)   the Second Amendment and free enterprise
E)   the Second Amendment and Homeland SecurityF) B) and C)
G) All of the above

Question 11

You are a freshman member of the House of Representatives and want to represent your district to the best of your ability. You know that being on the right committee is crucial. What committee(s) would you most like to be on, and why? When and how might you become chair? What advantages will being on a committee offer you and your constituents? With what obstacles will you have to contend? Be sure to consider how your particular district affects your choices.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Relate that c...

Question 12

In the House, before major bills are scheduled for floor debate, they must first go to the __________, which decides where bills will appear on the legislative calendar and the terms under which bills will be debated by the House.

Accepted Answer

A)   Conference Committee
B)   Markup Committee
C)   Political Action Committee
D)   Rules Committee
E)   Ways and Means CommitteeF) B) and C)
G) B) and E)

Question 13

What is seniority? What role does seniority play in determining leadership on Congressional committees? How has the value placed on seniority changed over time?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Define senior...

Question 14

The role of House minority leader acts as the chief spokesperson for the opposition in negotiations with the majority leader. He or she also

Accepted Answer

A)   seeks out members of the majority party who might be willing to vote against the House leadership on key issues
B)   seeks out members of the minority party who might be willing to vote against the House leadership on key issues
C)   serves as the chief assistant to the majority leader
D)   serves as the national spokesperson for the House
E)   works to reinforce divisions between members of the majority and minority partiesF) None of the above
G) A) and C)

Question 15

In the House of Representatives, the __________ decides who will speak on the floor, and rules on points of order.

Accepted Answer

A)   majority leader
B)   majority whip
C)   minority leader
D)   president pro tempore
E)   SpeakerF) D) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 16

Bills are scheduled for floor debate in the Senate not by a powerful committee but by __________, meaning that business can be blocked by a single dissenter.

Accepted Answer

A)   discharge petition
B)   open rule
C)   restricted rule
D)   unanimous consent
E)   unrestricted ruleF) A) and B)
G) C) and D)

Question 17

Explain the position of the Senate majority leader. What kinds of power or influence does he or she hold? How does his or her power or influence compare to that of the Speaker of the House?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. State that le...

Question 18

Traditionally, members of the House have been expected to become specialists in some area or areas of policy and to defer to the judgment of other specialists on most bills. This mutual deference is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

A)   appointee preeminence
B)   committee referral
C)   reciprocity
D)   reconciliation
E)   senatorial courtesyF) A) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 19

Which response best reflects the dilemma of pork in legislation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Programmatic requests are beneficial to taxpayers but detrimental to reelection.
B)   Programmatic requests favor federal employees at the expense of state employees.
C)   Programmatic requests favor one district at the expense of all American taxpayers.
D)   Programmatic requests are always wasteful expenditures but are useful to politicians.
E)   Programmatic requests are typically beneficial to districts but allow the federal government to collect an undue share of tax revenue.F) B) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 20

In congressional hearings, testimony taken from government agencies, like the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) , is often used for __________.

Accepted Answer

A)   collecting information and sending messages to the executive branch
B)   collecting information and sending messages to the bureaucracy
C)   sending messages to the executive branch and bureaucracy
D)   sending messages to the judiciary and executive branches
E)   sending messages to the public and state bureaucraciesF) C) and D)
G) None of the above

Exam 11: Congress

In congressional hearings, testimony taken from government agencies, like the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) , is often used for __________.

Correct Answer
verified

In the face of inaction by House membership, a discharge petition signed by a majority can force a bill out of a committee and to the floor.

Correct Answer
verified

Describe majority-minority districts and explain their purpose(s).

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Describe majo...
View Answer

In the House of Representatives, the __________ decides who will speak on the floor, and rules on points of order.

Correct Answer
verified

Bicameralism conformed to the framers' belief that the legislative branch-the center of policymaking for government-ought to be a place where the public's business is deliberated __________.

Correct Answer
verified

Women and racial minorities are __________ in Congress.

Correct Answer
verified

Which response best reflects the dilemma of pork in legislation?

Correct Answer
verified

What best represents the trend of party polarization over the last three decades?

Correct Answer
verified

The role of House minority leader acts as the chief spokesperson for the opposition in negotiations with the majority leader. He or she also

Correct Answer
verified

In the House, before major bills are scheduled for floor debate, they must first go to the __________, which decides where bills will appear on the legislative calendar and the terms under which bills will be debated by the House.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Relate that c...
View Answer

Traditionally, members of the House have been expected to become specialists in some area or areas of policy and to defer to the judgment of other specialists on most bills. This mutual deference is known as __________.

Correct Answer
verified

United States v. Lopez (1995) demonstrated the federalist tension between __________.

Correct Answer
verified

__________ committees are standing committees that include members from both houses of Congress, and are set up to conduct investigations or special studies.

Correct Answer
verified

Congressional whips serve what main function?

Correct Answer
verified

Explain the position of the Senate majority leader. What kinds of power or influence does he or she hold? How does his or her power or influence compare to that of the Speaker of the House?

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. State that le...
View Answer

Bills are scheduled for floor debate in the Senate not by a powerful committee but by __________, meaning that business can be blocked by a single dissenter.

Correct Answer
verified

What is seniority? What role does seniority play in determining leadership on Congressional committees? How has the value placed on seniority changed over time?

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Define senior...
View Answer

The House currently has 435 members, but this number increases every ten years with the taking of the census, as mandated by the Constitution.

Correct Answer
verified

A bill can be introduced by a member of Congress, a member of the executive branch, or a member of a special interest group.

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 11: Congress

In congressional hearings, testimony taken from government agencies, like the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) , is often used for __________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the face of inaction by House membership, a discharge petition signed by a majority can force a bill out of a committee and to the floor.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Describe majority-minority districts and explain their purpose(s).

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. Describe majo...View AnswerShow Answer

In the House of Representatives, the __________ decides who will speak on the floor, and rules on points of order.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Bicameralism conformed to the framers' belief that the legislative branch-the center of policymaking for government-ought to be a place where the public's business is deliberated __________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Women and racial minorities are __________ in Congress.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which response best reflects the dilemma of pork in legislation?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What best represents the trend of party polarization over the last three decades?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The role of House minority leader acts as the chief spokesperson for the opposition in negotiations with the majority leader. He or she also

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the House, before major bills are scheduled for floor debate, they must first go to the __________, which decides where bills will appear on the legislative calendar and the terms under which bills will be debated by the House.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. Relate that c...View AnswerShow Answer

Traditionally, members of the House have been expected to become specialists in some area or areas of policy and to defer to the judgment of other specialists on most bills. This mutual deference is known as __________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

United States v. Lopez (1995) demonstrated the federalist tension between __________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

__________ committees are standing committees that include members from both houses of Congress, and are set up to conduct investigations or special studies.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congressional whips serve what main function?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Explain the position of the Senate majority leader. What kinds of power or influence does he or she hold? How does his or her power or influence compare to that of the Speaker of the House?

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. State that le...View AnswerShow Answer

Bills are scheduled for floor debate in the Senate not by a powerful committee but by __________, meaning that business can be blocked by a single dissenter.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is seniority? What role does seniority play in determining leadership on Congressional committees? How has the value placed on seniority changed over time?

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. Define senior...View AnswerShow Answer

The House currently has 435 members, but this number increases every ten years with the taking of the census, as mandated by the Constitution.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A bill can be introduced by a member of Congress, a member of the executive branch, or a member of a special interest group.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Describe majo...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Relate that c...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. State that le...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Define senior...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified