Exam 11: Congress

Which incumbency advantage is more important in the Senate than in the House?

Casework and pork barrel spending can influence the outcomes of congressional elections.

The __________ presides over the House when it is in session and plays a major role in making committee assignments.

Describe changes in party polarization in Congress over the last several decades.What caused this change? Is this change a good thing? Why or why not?

Why has the majority traditionally been reluctant to change the rules to prevent or restrict filibusters?

Congress missed the fact that various agencies with responsibility for supervising the banking industry were negligent in identifying looming financial problems that led to the recession of 2008-2009.This suggests a failure of __________.

Conference committees are formed when the Senate and the House pass different versions of the same bill.

Of the following groups,which is most underrepresented in Congress?

The pork barrel may aid the district of a member of Congress by __________.

Representing constituents by mirroring their personal,politically relevant characteristics is known as __________ representation.

Explain how often Congress reapportions its membership and how such reapportionment can affect the reelection of incumbent members of Congress.

The House of Representatives must confirm many presidential nominations.

Which example best demonstrates a legislator acting as a trustee of his or her constituency?

New rules in Congress have increased the power of committee chairs.

__________ are individuals who already hold office.

The __________ is the only House official mandated by the Constitution.

Members of the House are apportioned to states based on __________.They serve __________-year terms.

Members of Congress earn an annual salary of more than $150,000.

Congress is __________ than the general population.

The central legislative dilemma for Congress is combining the faithful representation of constituents with making effective public policy.Explore what both supporters and critics contend in their assessments of Congress as it attempts to be both a representative and an objective policymaking institution.