Question 1

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 2

Members of Congress can represent the people in two ways: as a ______, a member of Congress acts on the express preferences of his or her constituency; as a ______, a member is more loosely tied to constituents and makes the decisions he or she thinks are best.

Accepted Answer

A)  delegate; trustee 
B)  trustee; delegate 
C)  representative; senator 
D)  senator; representative 
E)  delegate; representative 
A)  delegate; trustee 
B)  trustee; delegate 
C)  representative; senator 
D)  senator; representative 
E)  delegate; representative

Question 3

The Supreme Court has ruled that race could not be the predominant factor in creating electoral districts.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

By the 2008 election, the representation of women and minorities in Congress was roughly comparable to their proportions in the general population.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

One problem with the delegate model of representation is that

Accepted Answer

A)  few people are well informed about all political issues. 
B)  members of Congress may not bring back enough pork-barrel projects. 
C)  representatives may be excessively deferential to the executive branch in the area of national security. 
D)  it does not account for the role of the federal judiciary. 
E)  it fails to address the important role that congressional committees play in the legislative process. 
A)  few people are well informed about all political issues. 
B)  members of Congress may not bring back enough pork-barrel projects. 
C)  representatives may be excessively deferential to the executive branch in the area of national security. 
D)  it does not account for the role of the federal judiciary. 
E)  it fails to address the important role that congressional committees play in the legislative process.

Question 6

One reason why redistricting is controversial is that

Accepted Answer

A)  computer technologies allow legislatures to know statistically what kinds of people live where and this can be used to give one party an advantage over the other. 
B)  it is unclear whether state legislatures or the federal government has the authority to redraw districts. 
C)  incumbents never lose when districts are redrawn. 
D)  it is unclear whether districts have to be drawn in such a way that each district includes roughly the same number of people. 
E)  interest groups and PACs exert a great deal of influence over the specific shape of each district. 
A)  computer technologies allow legislatures to know statistically what kinds of people live where and this can be used to give one party an advantage over the other. 
B)  it is unclear whether state legislatures or the federal government has the authority to redraw districts. 
C)  incumbents never lose when districts are redrawn. 
D)  it is unclear whether districts have to be drawn in such a way that each district includes roughly the same number of people. 
E)  interest groups and PACs exert a great deal of influence over the specific shape of each district.

Question 7

One reason some people support the instatement of term limits in the House and Senate is

Accepted Answer

A)  that it will decrease the power and influence of interest groups. 
B)  that it will decrease turnover in Congress and lead to more experienced legislators. 
C)  that it will increase turnover and get new faces into Congress. 
D)  that it will limit the power and influence of the judiciary. 
E)  that it will limit the use of patronage by representatives. 
A)  that it will decrease the power and influence of interest groups. 
B)  that it will decrease turnover in Congress and lead to more experienced legislators. 
C)  that it will increase turnover and get new faces into Congress. 
D)  that it will limit the power and influence of the judiciary. 
E)  that it will limit the use of patronage by representatives.

Question 8

Who is the Speaker of the House?

Accepted Answer

A)  The vice president is also the Speaker of the House. 
B)  The representative with the longest tenure in the House is the Speaker of the House. 
C)  The elected leader of the majority party in the House is the Speaker. 
D)  An employee of Congress who formally brings the House into session each day is the Speaker. 
E)  The president selects the Speaker of the House from the majority party in the House. 
A)  The vice president is also the Speaker of the House. 
B)  The representative with the longest tenure in the House is the Speaker of the House. 
C)  The elected leader of the majority party in the House is the Speaker. 
D)  An employee of Congress who formally brings the House into session each day is the Speaker. 
E)  The president selects the Speaker of the House from the majority party in the House.

Question 9

Making laws is frequently compared to making sausages because

Accepted Answer

A)  the result is always unhealthy. 
B)  it is such an easy and straightforward process. 
C)  almost everyone likes the result even if they do not know what went into making it. 
D)  it is such a complex and often ugly process. 
E)  there are no rules that need to be followed. 
A)  the result is always unhealthy. 
B)  it is such an easy and straightforward process. 
C)  almost everyone likes the result even if they do not know what went into making it. 
D)  it is such a complex and often ugly process. 
E)  there are no rules that need to be followed.

Question 10

The Senate's constitutional power of advice and consent extends to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  the president's power to make treaties with foreign nations 
B)  the president's power to make executive agreements 
C)  the president's power to issue executive orders 
D)  the president's power to issue pardons 
E)  all federal court decisions regarding the separation of powers 
A)  the president's power to make treaties with foreign nations 
B)  the president's power to make executive agreements 
C)  the president's power to issue executive orders 
D)  the president's power to issue pardons 
E)  all federal court decisions regarding the separation of powers

Question 11

About 50 percent of incumbents win re-election.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Which of the following is the best definition of a congressional caucus?

Accepted Answer

A)  a formal substructure of congressional parties, oriented toward fund-raising 
B)  unofficial groups of representatives or senators sharing similar interests or opinions 
C)  informal lobbying groups, organized around similar interests such as agriculture or maritime affairs 
D)  a formal committee that has the power to propose and write legislation 
E)  a vote by members of the House in order to determine who the Speaker of the House will be 
A)  a formal substructure of congressional parties, oriented toward fund-raising 
B)  unofficial groups of representatives or senators sharing similar interests or opinions 
C)  informal lobbying groups, organized around similar interests such as agriculture or maritime affairs 
D)  a formal committee that has the power to propose and write legislation 
E)  a vote by members of the House in order to determine who the Speaker of the House will be

Question 13

A vote on which 50 percent or more of the members of one party take one position while at least 50 percent of the members of the other party take the opposing position is called

Accepted Answer

A)  an ideological split. 
B)  congressional gridlock. 
C)  a party unity vote. 
D)  a pocket veto. 
E)  cloture. 
A)  an ideological split. 
B)  congressional gridlock. 
C)  a party unity vote. 
D)  a pocket veto. 
E)  cloture.

Question 14

"Closed rule" and "open rule" refer to congressional provisions regarding

Accepted Answer

A)  whether deliberations are closed or open to the general public. 
B)  assignment to powerful committees. 
C)  whether lobbyists are allowed inside Congress. 
D)  floor debate on a bill. 
E)  whether all members of the House or just members of a particular committee vote on passing a bill. 
A)  whether deliberations are closed or open to the general public. 
B)  assignment to powerful committees. 
C)  whether lobbyists are allowed inside Congress. 
D)  floor debate on a bill. 
E)  whether all members of the House or just members of a particular committee vote on passing a bill.

Question 15

In addition to pressuring members of Congress to vote a certain way on a bill, interest groups also have substantial influence in

Accepted Answer

A)  setting the legislative agenda. 
B)  getting senators to filibuster debates on bills that they oppose. 
C)  determining whether a member of Congress will run for re-election. 
D)  deciding committee assignments for members of Congress. 
E)  determining whether a bill will receive an open rule or a closed rule. 
A)  setting the legislative agenda. 
B)  getting senators to filibuster debates on bills that they oppose. 
C)  determining whether a member of Congress will run for re-election. 
D)  deciding committee assignments for members of Congress. 
E)  determining whether a bill will receive an open rule or a closed rule.

Question 16

The larger, more heterogeneous constituencies and longer terms of Senators means that they are

Accepted Answer

A)  more attuned to the needs of groups and interests organized on a city or countywide basis. 
B)  more likely to consider "new ideas" and are better able to act as the agents for groups and interests organized on a statewide or national basis. 
C)  more likely to serve existing interests than to bring together new coalitions of interests. 
D)  more likely to spend their time thinking about and running for re-election. 
E)  more concerned about reapportionment than members of the House. 
A)  more attuned to the needs of groups and interests organized on a city or countywide basis. 
B)  more likely to consider "new ideas" and are better able to act as the agents for groups and interests organized on a statewide or national basis. 
C)  more likely to serve existing interests than to bring together new coalitions of interests. 
D)  more likely to spend their time thinking about and running for re-election. 
E)  more concerned about reapportionment than members of the House.

Question 17

What did the Supreme Court declare in Miller v. Johnson?

Accepted Answer

A)  Districts could not be drawn to favor the incumbent candidate. 
B)  The racial composition of a district could not be the predominant factor when redistricting. 
C)  Incumbents could not begin fund-raising more than nine months before the general election. 
D)  It was not unconstitutional for states to use an unelected, nonpartisan committee to redistrict. 
E)  The use of computer technologies to draw districts that will favor one party over another is unconstitutional. 
A)  Districts could not be drawn to favor the incumbent candidate. 
B)  The racial composition of a district could not be the predominant factor when redistricting. 
C)  Incumbents could not begin fund-raising more than nine months before the general election. 
D)  It was not unconstitutional for states to use an unelected, nonpartisan committee to redistrict. 
E)  The use of computer technologies to draw districts that will favor one party over another is unconstitutional.

Question 18

What unusual action did Texas take after the 2000 census?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Texas legislature refused to change the congressional districts from what they were during the 1990s. 
B)  Texas redistricted twice, in 2001 and 2003. 
C)  The Texas legislature established a nonpartisan redistricting board to draw new districts. 
D)  The Texas legislature permitted the Department of Justice to draw the new district boundaries, in conformity with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
E)  The Texas legislature allowed citizens to vote directly on how each of the new districts should be drawn. 
A)  The Texas legislature refused to change the congressional districts from what they were during the 1990s. 
B)  Texas redistricted twice, in 2001 and 2003. 
C)  The Texas legislature established a nonpartisan redistricting board to draw new districts. 
D)  The Texas legislature permitted the Department of Justice to draw the new district boundaries, in conformity with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
E)  The Texas legislature allowed citizens to vote directly on how each of the new districts should be drawn.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes a way in which the House differs from the Senate?

Accepted Answer

A)  The House is more centralized and organized than the Senate. 
B)  The House is a looser and more deliberative body than the Senate. 
C)  The House's representatives are much less specialized than the Senate's members. 
D)  The House has a much greater level of turnover in its membership than the Senate. 
E)  Only the House has the authority to approve the president's appointments to the federal judiciary. 
A)  The House is more centralized and organized than the Senate. 
B)  The House is a looser and more deliberative body than the Senate. 
C)  The House's representatives are much less specialized than the Senate's members. 
D)  The House has a much greater level of turnover in its membership than the Senate. 
E)  Only the House has the authority to approve the president's appointments to the federal judiciary.

Question 20

The House of Representatives has 335 members, and the Senate has 100 members.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 12: Congress

The Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office are examples of

Members of Congress can represent the people in two ways: as a ______, a member of Congress acts on the express preferences of his or her constituency; as a ______, a member is more loosely tied to constituents and makes the decisions he or she thinks are best.

The Supreme Court has ruled that race could not be the predominant factor in creating electoral districts.

By the 2008 election, the representation of women and minorities in Congress was roughly comparable to their proportions in the general population.

One problem with the delegate model of representation is that

One reason why redistricting is controversial is that

One reason some people support the instatement of term limits in the House and Senate is

Who is the Speaker of the House?

Making laws is frequently compared to making sausages because

The Senate's constitutional power of advice and consent extends to which of the following?

About 50 percent of incumbents win re-election.

Which of the following is the best definition of a congressional caucus?

A vote on which 50 percent or more of the members of one party take one position while at least 50 percent of the members of the other party take the opposing position is called

"Closed rule" and "open rule" refer to congressional provisions regarding

In addition to pressuring members of Congress to vote a certain way on a bill, interest groups also have substantial influence in

The larger, more heterogeneous constituencies and longer terms of Senators means that they are

What did the Supreme Court declare in Miller v. Johnson?

What unusual action did Texas take after the 2000 census?

Which of the following best describes a way in which the House differs from the Senate?

The House of Representatives has 335 members, and the Senate has 100 members.

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

The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas

The Texas Constitution

Parties and Elections in Texas

Interest Groups and Lobbying

The Texas Legislature

The Texas Executive Branch

The Texas Judiciary

Local Government in Texas

Public Policy in Texas

Filters

Members of Congress can represent the people in two ways: as a , a member of Congress acts on the express preferences of his or her constituency; as a , a member is more loosely tied to constituents and makes the decisions he or she thinks are best.