POLS 1113 American Federal Government

1. POLS 1113American Federal Government Chapter Six Universe:Congress

2. __ was the first woman in history to win an elected position to the formal House leadership in either political party. a. Hilary Clinton d. Susan B. Anthony b. Nancy Pelosi e. Elizabeth Dole c. Jeanette Rankin Answer: B Page Ref: 203Answer: B Page Ref: 203

3. The Framers� original conception of the representational function of Congress was __ than it is today. a. broader d. more expansive b. much narrower e. all of the above c. less restricted Answer: B Page Ref: 204Answer: B Page Ref: 204

4. Any two-chambered legislature is also described as� a. a Congress. d. bi-sexual. b. bifurcated. e. bicameral. c. bimodal. Answer: E Page Ref: 205Answer: E Page Ref: 205

5. Under the Constitution, senators serve a __-year term. a. 2 d. 8 b. 4 e. life c. 6 Answer: C Page Ref: 205Answer: C Page Ref: 205

6. Prior to 1913, state legislatures controlled the selection of senators. The __ Amendment provides for the direct state-wide election of senators. a. 15th d. 18th b. 16th e. 19th c. 17th Answer: C Page Ref: 205Answer: C Page Ref: 205

7. Under the Constitution, members of the House of Representatives are directly elected for a __-year term. a. 1 d. 4 b. 2 e. 6 c. 3 Answer: B Page Ref: 205Answer: B Page Ref: 205

8. According to the authors, the most important power Congress has is the power to(of)� a. oversight of executive and judicial actions. b. lay and collect taxes. c. declare war. d. impeach presidents and judges. e. make laws. Answer: E Page Ref: 206Answer: E Page Ref: 206

9. Congress has managed to increase the scope of its enumerated powers through the interpretation of the� a. formal law-making power. b. �inherent powers� doctrine. c. grant of exclusive powers by the executive. d. �necessary and proper� clause. e. �commander-in-chief� clause of Article I. Answer: D Page Ref: 206Answer: D Page Ref: 206

10. Impeachment is a power granted to the� a. Supreme Court. d. Senate. b. House of e. Justice Department. Representatives. c. independent counsel. Answer: B Page Ref: 208Answer: B Page Ref: 208

11. The Senate�s role in the impeachment process is� a. merely a formality. b. to hold the trial to determine whether to remove the offending judge, justice, president or vice president. c. provide a prosecution team of �managers.� d. options a and c. e. all of the above. Answer: B Page Ref: 208Answer: B Page Ref: 208

12. The House of Representatives and Senate combined have __ members. a. 335 d. 535 b. 425 e. 600 c. 450 Answer: D Page Ref: 208Answer: D Page Ref: 208

13. The House of Representatives� operations differ from the Senate�s in a number of ways in that the House� a. offers �advice and consent� on major appointments. b. members are highly specialized. c. tried impeached officials. d. leadership is more collegial with its members. e. members are generalists. Answer: B Page Ref: 208Answer: B Page Ref: 208

14. The leader of the House of Representatives is called the� a. Majority Leader. d. Speaker b. Chamber President. e. Grand Puhba c. President Pro Tempore. Answer: D Page Ref: 210Answer: D Page Ref: 210

15. The congressional leaders who conduct vote counts and �line up� members on partisan issues are called� a. enforcers. d. �troops.� b. whips. e. captains. c. sergeants at arms. Answer: B Page Ref: 211Answer: B Page Ref: 211

16. The presiding officer of the Senate who can vote only in the case of a tie is the� a. President Pro Tempore. b. Majority Whip. c. Majority Leader. d. Speaker. e. Vice President of the United States. Answer: E Page Ref: 211Answer: E Page Ref: 211

17. The true leader of the Senate is the� a. Vice President. d. President Pro Tempore. b. Speaker. e. Majority Whip. c. Majority Leader. Answer: C Page Ref: 215Answer: C Page Ref: 215

18. Committees to which proposed bills are referred are called __ committees. a. conference d. joint b. standing e. select c. reconciliation Answer: B Page Ref: 218Answer: B Page Ref: 218

19. A committee that is established on a temporary basis is called a(n) __ committee. a. standing d. conference b. select e. reconciliation c. joint

20. The �traffic cop� of the House of Representatives is called the __ Committee, assigning the scheduled date for debate, the amount of time available for debate, and what kinds of amendments will be offered. a. Debate d. Rules b. Appropriations e. Administration c. Central Answer: D Page Ref: 218Answer: D Page Ref: 218

21. The chair of a committee can usually prevent action on a bill, but the full House can force a bill to be reported to the floor through the use of a(n)� a. cloture vote. d. appeal to the House b. censure motion. parliamentarian. c. discharge petition. e. filibuster. Answer: C Page Ref: 219Answer: C Page Ref: 219

22. The average senator serves on __ standing committees. a. 1-2 d. 7-8 b. 3-4 e. 9-10 c. 5-6 Answer: B Page Ref: 219Answer: B Page Ref: 219

23. The average representative serves on __ standing committee(s). a. 1 d. 4 b. 2 e. 5 c. 3 Answer: A Page Ref: 219Answer: A Page Ref: 219

24. Members of Congress often seek committee assignments based upon� a. party preferences. d. opportunities for b. their own interests for �pork barrel� and/or expertise. legislation. c. maximum benefit e. all of the above. to their home state or district. Answer: D Page Ref: 219Answer: D Page Ref: 219

25. Among the advantages of incumbency include all of the following EXCEPT� ease of fund- d. the perception of being a raising. �Washington insider.� b. name recognition. e. all of the above. c. access to the media. Answer: D Page Ref: 222Answer: D Page Ref: 222

26. In general, Congress is __ than the rest of the population of the United States. a. more male d. older and whiter b. wealthier e. all of the above. c. better educated Answer: E Page Ref: 222Answer: E Page Ref: 222

27. In general, the primary goal of every member of Congress is� a. party discipline. d. accumulating power. b. reelection. e. to become a party leader. c. becoming president. Answer: B Page Ref: 222Answer: B Page Ref: 222

28. The __ theory of representation asserts that elected representatives should listen to their constituents� opinions, but then use their own best judgment to make decisions. a. delegate d. weasel b. politico e. suicidal c. trustee Answer: C Page Ref: 225Answer: C Page Ref: 225

29. The __ theory argues that elected representatives should feel themselves bound to follow the preferences of their constituents, even when it contradicts their own expert judgment. a. delegate d. weasel b. politico e. suicidal c. trustee Answer: A Page Ref: 225Answer: A Page Ref: 225

30. Most politicians conform to the __ theory of representation, following their constituents� wishes on issues that are important to their district/state, but following their own preferences on matters where constituents� are less likely to have a preference. a. delegate d. weasel b. politico e. suicidal c. trustee Answer: B Page Ref: 225Answer: B Page Ref: 225

31. When making decisions about complicated bills, legislators often look to a variety of sources for cues on how to vote, including� a. party members. d. their own personal b. their party�s beliefs. leadership e. all of the above. c. constituents. Answer: E Page Ref: 226Answer: E Page Ref: 226

32. During the average congressional session, as many as __ bills are introduced. a. 1,500 d. 9,000 b. 4,000 e. 15,000 c. 7,000 Answer: D Page Ref: 230Answer: D Page Ref: 230

33. Of those bills introduced in Congress, __ percent are enacted into law. a. only about 1 d. 30 b. fewer than 10 e. over 75 c. 25 Answer: B Page Ref: 230Answer: B Page Ref: 230

34. In order to expedite passage of a particularly important bill, the House of Representatives may decide to form a__, in which 100 members deliberate without many of the procedural rules that can delay consideration of a bill. a. Debate Committee d. joint committee b. Committee of Elders e. conference c. Committee of the Whole committee Answer: C Page Ref: 232Answer: C Page Ref: 232

35. A tactic in which a senator requests to be notified when the leadership will bring a bill to the floor, and which often effectively stops the bill from being introduced, is called a� a. stop. d. filibuster. b. hold. e. discharge petition. c. restraining order. Answer: B Page Ref: 232Answer: B Page Ref: 232

36. Senate rules allow for unlimited debate (in theory), which means that an individual senator or a small group of senators can threaten to __, or literally �talk to death� a bill. a. wang doodle d. hootenany b. filibuster e. stonewall c. gerrymander Answer: B Page Ref: 232Answer: B Page Ref: 232

37. The only way under the current rules to stop debate is to invoke __, which requires sixty votes to support a motion to end debate. a. summary judgment d. cloture b. recess e. point of order c. time out Answer: D Page Ref: 232Answer: D Page Ref: 232

38. Congressional review of the activities of a federal agency, department, or office is called� a. oversight. d. advisory review. b. investigation. e. legislative c. ombudsmanship. surveillance. Answer: A Page Ref: 234Answer: A Page Ref: 234

39. Congress can also oversee governmental actions by allowing citizens to appeal adverse bureaucratic decisions. This process, adopted by the 104th Congress, is called� a. bureaucratic examination. d. formal oversight. b. legislature empanelling. e. administrative c. congressional review. adjudication. Answer: C Page Ref: 234Answer: C Page Ref: 234

40. Throughout American history, the House of Representatives has impeached __ presidents. a. 1 d. 4 b. 2 e. 5 c. 3 Answer: 2 Page Ref: 235Answer: 2 Page Ref: 235

41. A tradition by which presidents generally defer selection of district court judges to the choice of the senators of their own party who represent the state in which a vacancy occurs is called. a. preferential treatment. d. senatorial prerogative. b. senatorial courtesy. e. state�s rights. c. presidential deference.

42. True/False Universe

43. The United States currently has a unicameral legislature. a. True b. False Answer: False Page Ref: 205Answer: False Page Ref: 205

44. Every ten years, congressional districts are redrawn to reflect each state�s increase or decrease in the overall population. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 206Answer: True Page Ref: 206

45. Incumbents are often defeated in their bids for reelection to the House of Representatives. a. True b. False Answer: False Page Ref: 208Answer: False Page Ref: 208

46. The Speaker of the House is the only officer of the House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 210Answer: True Page Ref: 210

47. The president pro tempore of the Senate is a senior-most member of the majority party, and his/her seniority gives them great power in the Senate. a. True b. False Answer: False Explanation: the first part of the statement is true; however, the office of president pro tempore is a ceremonial post with little real political power. Page Ref: 214Answer: False Explanation: the first part of the statement is true; however, the office of president pro tempore is a ceremonial post with little real political power. Page Ref: 214

48. Congress is organized on the basis of political parties. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 215Answer: True Page Ref: 215

49. A conference committee is where members from both houses meet in order to iron out differences between their versions of a bill. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 218Answer: True Page Ref: 218

50. Committee chairs can be members of either the majority or minority party. a. True b. False Answer: False Page Ref: 220Answer: False Page Ref: 220

51. Committee chairs have the power to kill a bill. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 220Answer: True Page Ref: 220

52. Committee chairs wield great power, including drafting legislation, managing a million-dollar-plus staff budget, and being lobbied by heads of bureaucratic agencies, Cabinet Secretaries, the president, and lobbyists for interest groups. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 220Answer: True Page Ref: 220

53. Committee chairpersons are filled in order of seniority. a. True b. False Answer: False Page Ref: 220Answer: False Page Ref: 220

54. Between 1980-1990, incumbency advantages reached new highs, and 95% of incumbents who sought reelection won. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 222Answer: True Page Ref: 222

55. The 109th Congress has 82 women representatives and senators. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 224Answer: True Page Ref: 224

56. Lawyers are the largest single occupational group represented in Congress. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 224Answer: True Page Ref: 224

57. In the present Congress, there is only one African-American serving in the Senate. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 224Answer: True Page Ref: 224

58. By far, the bulk of African-Americans and Hispanics currently serving in the House of Representatives and the Senate are Democrats. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 224Answer: True Page Ref: 224

59. Congress has the power to review the actions of an agency, department, or office. a. True b. False Answer: True Page Ref: 234Answer: True Page Ref: 234

60. The House of Representatives plays a special oversight function through its capacity to �advise and consent� on key appointments to the executive and judicial branches. a. True b. False Answer: False Page Ref: 235Answer: False Page Ref: 235