Question 1

What are the most common private bills proposed in Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)  bills giving individuals or corporations tax relief 
B)  bills for permanent visas or citizenship for foreign nationals 
C)  bills for defense contracts in a representative's district 
D)  bills that declare certain foreign nationals enemies of the United States 
E)  There are no private bills in Congress; all bills must be public. 
A)  bills giving individuals or corporations tax relief 
B)  bills for permanent visas or citizenship for foreign nationals 
C)  bills for defense contracts in a representative's district 
D)  bills that declare certain foreign nationals enemies of the United States 
E)  There are no private bills in Congress; all bills must be public.

Question 2

In recent years, about ________ percent of U.S. House incumbents win re-election.

Accepted Answer

A)  33 
B)  50 
C)  66 
D)  80 
E)  95 
A)  33 
B)  50 
C)  66 
D)  80 
E)  95

Question 3

The need to divide the labor of legislation is best exemplified in what formal structure of Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)  the establishment of party whips 
B)  the establishment of standing committees 
C)  the strict control over floor time in Congress 
D)  the use of conference committees 
E)  the establishment of minority and majority leaders 
A)  the establishment of party whips 
B)  the establishment of standing committees 
C)  the strict control over floor time in Congress 
D)  the use of conference committees 
E)  the establishment of minority and majority leaders

Question 4

Agencies in Congress designed to oversee administrative agencies and evaluate presidential proposals are called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  committee agencies 
B)  oversight committees 
C)  staff agencies 
D)  review offices 
E)  iron triangles 
A)  committee agencies 
B)  oversight committees 
C)  staff agencies 
D)  review offices 
E)  iron triangles

Question 5

When members of the House and the Senate coordinate two versions of the same bill, they will often use a ________ committee to obtain a single unified bill.

Accepted Answer

A)  joint 
B)  conference 
C)  reconciliation 
D)  standing 
E)  select 
A)  joint 
B)  conference 
C)  reconciliation 
D)  standing 
E)  select

Question 6

Following the 2012 elections, there were ________ women serving in the U.S. Senate.

Accepted Answer

A)  2 
B)  10 
C)  20 
D)  33 
E)  45 
A)  2 
B)  10 
C)  20 
D)  33 
E)  45

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Congressional oversight power has increasingly been used as a tool of partisan politics. 
B)  The Republican Congress did not aggressively investigate President Bill Clinton. 
C)  The Republican Congress aggressively investigated President George W. Bush. 
D)  There was an extensive investigation of the abuse of prisoners in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. 
E)  The Democrats did not use the power of oversight very much when they regained control of Congress in 2007. 
A)  Congressional oversight power has increasingly been used as a tool of partisan politics. 
B)  The Republican Congress did not aggressively investigate President Bill Clinton. 
C)  The Republican Congress aggressively investigated President George W. Bush. 
D)  There was an extensive investigation of the abuse of prisoners in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. 
E)  The Democrats did not use the power of oversight very much when they regained control of Congress in 2007.

Question 8

Organizational reforms instituted by Congress in the 1970s

Accepted Answer

A)  fragmented power by reducing the power of committee chairs. 
B)  centralized power into the hands of party leaders. 
C)  sped up legislation by reducing the number of committees to which a bill was referred. 
D)  reduced the scrutiny of the media by closing hearings to the public. 
E)  replaced issue networks with iron triangles. 
A)  fragmented power by reducing the power of committee chairs. 
B)  centralized power into the hands of party leaders. 
C)  sped up legislation by reducing the number of committees to which a bill was referred. 
D)  reduced the scrutiny of the media by closing hearings to the public. 
E)  replaced issue networks with iron triangles.

Question 9

In the House of Representatives, the majority leader

Accepted Answer

A)  is subordinate to the Speaker of the House. 
B)  is the same office as the Speaker of the House. 
C)  is superior in formal powers to the Speaker of the House. 
D)  has the same powers as the Speaker of the House but is a different office. 
E)  does not exist. 
A)  is subordinate to the Speaker of the House. 
B)  is the same office as the Speaker of the House. 
C)  is superior in formal powers to the Speaker of the House. 
D)  has the same powers as the Speaker of the House but is a different office. 
E)  does not exist.

Question 10

Constituency service is so important that

Accepted Answer

A)  representatives spend about three-quarters of their time aiding constituents. 
B)  party leaders will not ask any member to vote in a way that conflicts with the interests or opinions of the member's district. 
C)  the House and Senate have recently created a Committee on Constituency Service. 
D)  the Constitution explicitly lists "constituent service" as the most important responsibility of Congress. 
E)  members of Congress have been impeached for not devoting enough attention to constituency service. 
A)  representatives spend about three-quarters of their time aiding constituents. 
B)  party leaders will not ask any member to vote in a way that conflicts with the interests or opinions of the member's district. 
C)  the House and Senate have recently created a Committee on Constituency Service. 
D)  the Constitution explicitly lists "constituent service" as the most important responsibility of Congress. 
E)  members of Congress have been impeached for not devoting enough attention to constituency service.

Question 11

The Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office are examples of________.

Accepted Answer

A)  staff agencies 
B)  executive-congressional liaison offices 
C)  caucuses 
D)  select committees 
E)  conference committees 
A)  staff agencies 
B)  executive-congressional liaison offices 
C)  caucuses 
D)  select committees 
E)  conference committees

Question 12

The role that the U.S. Senate plays in impeachments can best be compared with that of a ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  trial jury 
B)  grand jury 
C)  prosecuting attorney 
D)  defense attorney 
E)  defense witness 
A)  trial jury 
B)  grand jury 
C)  prosecuting attorney 
D)  defense attorney 
E)  defense witness

Question 13

The jurisdiction of standing committees

Accepted Answer

A)  is related to a specific geographic region. 
B)  is defined by the subject matter of legislation, which often parallels the major cabinet departments or agencies. 
C)  is determined by the different political parties. 
D)  is determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. 
E)  often overlaps with the jurisdiction of select committees. 
A)  is related to a specific geographic region. 
B)  is defined by the subject matter of legislation, which often parallels the major cabinet departments or agencies. 
C)  is determined by the different political parties. 
D)  is determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. 
E)  often overlaps with the jurisdiction of select committees.

What are the most common private bills proposed in Congress?

In recent years, about ________ percent of U.S. House incumbents win re-election.

The need to divide the labor of legislation is best exemplified in what formal structure of Congress?

Agencies in Congress designed to oversee administrative agencies and evaluate presidential proposals are called ________.

When members of the House and the Senate coordinate two versions of the same bill, they will often use a ________ committee to obtain a single unified bill.

Following the 2012 elections, there were ________ women serving in the U.S. Senate.

Which of the following statements is true?

Organizational reforms instituted by Congress in the 1970s

In the House of Representatives, the majority leader

Constituency service is so important that

The Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office are examples of________.

The role that the U.S. Senate plays in impeachments can best be compared with that of a ________.

The jurisdiction of standing committees

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

Exam 12: Congress

What are the most common private bills proposed in Congress?

In recent years, about ________ percent of U.S. House incumbents win re-election.

The need to divide the labor of legislation is best exemplified in what formal structure of Congress?

Agencies in Congress designed to oversee administrative agencies and evaluate presidential proposals are called ________.

When members of the House and the Senate coordinate two versions of the same bill, they will often use a ________ committee to obtain a single unified bill.

Following the 2012 elections, there were ________ women serving in the U.S. Senate.

Which of the following statements is true?

Organizational reforms instituted by Congress in the 1970s

In the House of Representatives, the majority leader

Constituency service is so important that

The Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office are examples of________.

The role that the U.S. Senate plays in impeachments can best be compared with that of a ________.

The jurisdiction of standing committees

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters