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- 1. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true?
It has been banned by United States Supreme Court decisions starting with Baker v. Carr
It was used traditionally to maintain urban control of the House of Representatives.
It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible.
It guarantees greater constituency control over elected representatives.
- 2. Multiple Choice
The term "pork barrel" refers to legislation specifically designed to
encourage a balanced federal budget
distribute excess produce to the poor
equalize representation between farming and nonfarming states
provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents
- 3. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the most likely consequence of divided government?
Reorganization of the federal bureaucracy
Conflicts between states
Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees
Conflicts between national government and states
- 4. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements about the Senate is true?
Each state is represented in the Senate according to its population.
The Senate, unlike the House, has a Rules Committee.
The Senate is more responsible than the House for initiating appropriations legislation.
Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process.
- 5. Multiple Choice
All of the following are ways that the legislative branch can check the powers of the executive branch EXCEPT:
Congress may pass a law declaring a presidential action unconstitutional.
The Senate may refuse to approve a presidential appointment.
Congress may override a presidential veto.
Congress may remove the president through its impeachment and conviction powers.
- 6. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an example of congressional oversight?
Assisting constituents with particular problems
Holding hearings for review of an executive agency's activities
Reporting campaign contributions to the Federal Election Commission
Conducting ethics investigations of congressional leadership
- 7. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true?
They force a bill out of committee so that the full House can vote on it.
They are applied to bills that failed in the previous session of Congress.
They occur whenever a bill is reported out of committee.
They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.
- 8. Multiple Choice
The role Congress plays in ensuring that executive branch agencies are carrying out their legislated responsibilities is known as
judicial review
legislative oversight
executive privilege
bicameralism
- 9. Multiple Choice
The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in
the United States House of Representatives
the United States Senate
the Office of Management and Budget
a White House budget resolution
- 10. Multiple Choice
Federal budget entitlements refer to spending
to provide individual benefits established by legislation
by congressional staff while traveling on official business
on behalf of life, liberty, and the pursuit of· happiness
targeted to benefit residents of specific congressional districts
- 11. Multiple Choice
Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress?
The Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee
The Speaker of the House
The Majority Whip of the House
The Chair of the Senate Finance Committee
- 12. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a way Congress can influence the federal judiciary?
It can prohibit judicial activism.
It can filibuster decisions made by the courts.
It can change appellate jurisdiction of federal courts.
It can review federal judges for reappointment every ten years.
- 13. Multiple Choice
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Holding trials of impeachment
Establishing federal courts
Approving treaties
Holding confirmation hearings
- 14. Multiple Choice
Which of the following committees plays a major role in the House in shaping tax policy?
Finance
Ways and Means
Appropriations
Commerce
- 15. Multiple Choice
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 are more likely to create majority-minority districts districts where they are appropriate.
Independent commissions are more likely to create districts where minor parties are victorious.
House districts drawn by independent commissions are immune from challenges by the United States Department of Justice.
Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process.
- 16. Multiple Choice
Which of the following constitutional provisions broaden the powers of Congress?
The necessary and proper clause
The equal protection clause
The Tenth Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment
- 17. Multiple Choice
Congressional oversight refers to the power of Congress to
override presidential vetoes
hold public hearings before confirming judicial appointments
seek judicial opinion on constitutionality of pending legislation
exercise some control over executive agencies
- 18. Multiple Choice
Most of work of legislating in Congress takes place in
joint committees
standing committees
select committees
conference committees
- 19. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a primary function of the Senate Judiciary Committee?
Conducting oversight hearings on the Supreme Court budget
Conducting investigations into allegedly subversive activities
Conducting hearings on judicial appointments made by the president
Initiating appointment to the Supreme Court
- 20. Multiple Choice
After a constitutional amendment is proposed by both houses of Congress, it's adoption requires:
official filing with the secretary of state
support by a majority vote of the people
signature by the president
ratification by three-fourths of the states
- 21. Multiple Choice
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
determines ethics rules for members' conduct
determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration
negotiates compromises on bills with the Senate Rules Committee
- 22. Multiple Choice
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is
interest on the public debt
spending on national parks
Social Security payments
veterans' pensions
- 23. Multiple Choice
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
Select
Rules
Standing
- 24. Multiple ChoiceWhich of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct?a) The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings.The rules are specified in Article I of the ConstitutionThe rules in each chamber are determined by the majority whipa) The rules can be changed by the President during a national emergency.
- 25. Multiple ChoiceThe franking privilege refers to thea) Federal Reserve Board’s control over interest ratesa) Practice of permitting senators to preview lists of judicial nomineesa) Practice whereby legislators with the most seniority select the committees on which they want to servea) Right of members of Congress to send mail to their constituents at the government’s expense
- 26. Multiple ChoiceCongressional district boundaries are usually redrawn every ten years by theState LegislaturesBureau of the CensusPresidentGoverner
- 27. Multiple ChoiceA major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is thatfilibusters are possible only in the Houserevenue bills must originate in the Senatethere is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the Houseeach state has equal representation in the House but not in the Senate
- 28. Multiple Choice
Why do Incumbents rarely lose reelection?
The electoral college favors incumbents
They are better known to voters, and can raise funds more easily
They are actually more likely to lose elections
They are given an advantage through the seniority system
- 29. Multiple ChoiceA strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation use their right to unlimited debate to prevent the Senate from ever voting on a bill.FilibusterCrisisIncumbentIncrementalism
- 30. Multiple Choice
The direct election of Senators was established with the
Addition of the Bill of Rights
The creation of the Articles of Confederation
Signing of the Constitution
The passing of the Seventeenth Amendment
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