Chapter 5 Review

Question 1

There are 2 sessions in each…

Answer 1

term of each congress

Question 2

Every 10 years the nation prepares a _______ to count the population for reapportionment.

Answer 2

census

Question 3

To describe ______________ political scientists use the terms “packing” and “cracking”.

Answer 3

gerrymandering

Question 4

People and companies donate money to ________________ for candidates to spend on their campaigns.

Answer 4

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Question 5

The main task of Congress is to _________________.

Answer 5

To make laws

Question 6

This committee is considered the “traffic officer” for legislation in the House of Representatives.

Answer 6

Rules Committee

Question 7

If 60 Senators vote for ______________ it stops a filibuster on the Senate floor and allows a vote on the bill.

Answer 7

cloture

Question 8

____________________ and political party affiliation usually guides the selection of committee leaders in both the House and the Senate.

Answer 8

Seniority System

Question 9

The __________________ makes a record of all congressional bills.

Answer 9

Government Printing Office (GPO)

Question 10

The United States Congress, made up of two houses, is a

Answer 10

bicameral legislature.

Question 11

This is the minimum number of legislators who must be present for a legislative body to conduct official business.

Answer 11

a quorum

Question 12

13. In Congress, the majority and minority leaders are assisted by the _____________.

Answer 12

Whips and Assistant Whips

Question 13

In the Senate, bills are brought to the floor by ________________.

Answer 13

unanimous consent

Question 14

The standing committees of each house are controlled by

Answer 14

the majority party

Question 15

This group specializes in a subcategory of its standing committee’s responsibility.

Answer 15

subcommittee

Question 16

These committees act as study groups for the House and Senate.

Answer 16

joint committees

Question 17

Some lawmakers believe this group has too much power.

Answer 17

Congressional Staffers

Question 18

This budget-making work of Congress is coordinated by the

Answer 18

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

Question 19

________________ starts on January 3 of years ending in odd numbers.

Answer 19

The indoctrination of new senators

Question 20

A representative’s term of office lasts ____________.

Answer 20

2 years

Question 21

Each November of even-numbered years marks ___________________.

Answer 21

when Congressional elections are held.

Question 22

A senator’s term lasts ______________.

Answer 22

6 years

Question 23

Every law starts as a ________________

Answer 23

bill

Question 24

The Ways and Means Committee has a subcommittee that handles all issues related to _________________

Answer 24

Social Security

Question 25

The ____________________ is a key committee in the House of Representatives.

Answer 25

Ways and Means Committee

Question 25

The _________________ is a prestigious committee in the Senate

Answer 25

Foreign Relations Committee

Question 26

Sometimes, representatives' and senators' ___________________ will attend committee meetings in their absence.

Answer 26

Legislative Assistants

Question 27

The ______________ is the personal staff member charged with office management duties.

Answer 27

Administrative Assistant

Question 28

These people serve as assistant floor leaders in Congress

Answer 28

whips

Question 29

The process of setting up new congressional districts after reapportionment is called ________

Answer 29

redistricting

Question 30

People in districts represented in Congress are called _______________

Answer 30

constituents

Question 31

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives is the ________________

Answer 31

speaker

Question 32

The President of the Senate is the _____

Answer 32

vice president

Question 33

A filibuster can be stopped when 3/5 of the Senate votes for _____________

Answer 33

cloture

Question 34

The power to write the rules in Congress is controlled by the _____________

Answer 34

majority party

Question 35

The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 was designed to make the committee system ____

Answer 35

more democratic

Question 36

This government office is responsible for the "Statistical Abstract of the United States"

Answer 36

Government Printing Office (GPO)

Question 37

This great center of information contains over 100 million items

Answer 37

Library of Congress

Question 37

What is the structure of Congress as described in Article I of the Constitution?

Answer 37

Congress is a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Question 37

Which type of committee works to settle differences between House and Senate versions of a bill?

Answer 37

conference

Question 38

How often are congressional terms and sessions held?

Answer 38

Congressional terms begin on January 3 in odd-numbered years and last for two years, with each term having two sessions, each a year long.

Question 39

What are the qualifications required to be a member of the House of Representatives?

Answer 39

A House member must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for 7 years, and a legal resident of the state they represent.

Question 39

Explain the process of reapportionment and how it affects the House of Representatives.

Answer 39

Reapportionment is the process of reallocating seats in the House based on population changes determined by the census, which occurs every 10 years.

Question 40

What is gerrymandering, and what are the methods used to achieve it?

Answer 40

Gerrymandering involves drawing district boundaries to favor one political party, using methods like "packing" and "cracking."

Question 41

Describe the significance of the "one-person, one-vote rule" established by the Supreme Court.

Answer 41

The "one-person, one-vote rule" ensures that each vote in congressional districts has equal weight, as established by the Supreme Court.

Question 42

What are the qualifications and term lengths for a U.S. Senator?

Answer 42

A U.S. Senator must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for 9 years, and a legal resident of the state they represent, serving a six-year term.

Question 43

How does the diversity of Congress today compare to its traditional composition?

Answer 43

Traditionally, Congress was composed mostly of white, middle-aged males, but it is slowly becoming more diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender.

Question 44

What factors contribute to the high reelection rates of incumbents in Congress?

Answer 44

Incumbents often win reelection due to factors like name recognition, fundraising advantages, gerrymandered districts, and established voter relationships.