Congress Review

Question 1

The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in
A)a White House budget resolution
B)the Congressional Budget Office
C)the United States Senate
D)the United States House of Representatives

Answer 1

D)the United States House of Representatives

Question 2

Which of the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the decision in Baker v. Carr (1962) ?
A) Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.
B) To ensure equal protection under the law, there should be an equal number of rural and urban districts in a state.
C) There should be redistricting every ten years at the federal level, but the state can choose not to redistrict at the state and local levels.
D)Congressional redistricting must involve traditionally excluded groups in the process or it violates the equal protection clause.

Answer 2

A) Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the reasoning in Baker v. Carr (1961)?
A)Unequal representation of citizens in legislative districts is unconstitutional and may be reviewed by the courts.
B)Political issues such as reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering are to be resolved by the legislative branch.
C)Racial gerrymandering is a violation of the Fourth Amendment’s exclusionary clause.
D)Gerrymandering that favors a single party is not subject to legal action because there is no standard to determine how a state legislative district map should be drawn.

Answer 3

A)Unequal representation of citizens in legislative districts is unconstitutional and may be reviewed by the courts.

Question 4

Which of the following best reflects the holding in the case Baker v. Carr (1962)
A)Declared that racial gerrymandering was a violation of the due process clause.
B)Stated that the Tenth Amendment exclusively reserves the power to review congressional districts to the states.
C)Opened the door to Equal Protection Clause challenges to redistricting by deciding that such cases could be reviewed by federal courts.
D)Stated that the Seventeenth Amendment requires regular review of the constitutionality of congressional districts.

Answer 4

C)Opened the door to Equal Protection Clause challenges to redistricting by deciding that such cases could be reviewed by federal courts.

Question 5

When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee?
A)Conference
B)Select
C)Reconciliation
D)Rules
E)Standing

Answer 5

A)Conference

Question 6

The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by
A)the United States House of Representatives
B)The United States Senate
C)United States district courts
D)state governors
E)state legislatures

Answer 6

E)state legislatures

Question 7

Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?
A)Members of Congress with the longest continuous service are assured the chairmanship of major congressional committees.
B)Members of Congress must be elected from safe seats to accrue committee seniority.
C)Members of congressional committees are the most senior members of the body’s majority party.
D)The oldest members of Congress have the most seniority.
E)The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body’s majority party.

Answer 7

E)The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body’s majority party.

Question 8

CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP DIAGRAM: Which of the following is true according to the diagram?
A)The Senate minority leader is as powerful as the Senate majority whip.
B)The Speaker of the House, in coordination with the House majority leader, appoints the House minority leader.
C)Unlike the House of Representatives, the Senate does not recognize political parties.
D)Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.

Answer 8

D)Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.

Question 9

The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because
A)the seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore committees must play a larger role
B)the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House
C)committee members are appointed by the President
D)the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor
E)the majority party in the House prefers to give priority to the work of the committees

Answer 9

D)the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor

Question 10

A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always
A)the member with the longest service on the committee
B)the member with the longest service in the House
C)a representative of the Speaker
D)a member of the majority party in the chamber
E)a trusted ally of the President

Answer 10

D)a member of the majority party in the chamber

Question 11

Which of the following accurately compares the formal and informal powers of the president?

Formal Power
Informal Power
A
Vetoing legislation to prevent a bill from becoming law
Using a pocket veto to prevent a bill from becoming law
B
Using the bully pulpit to influence public opinion
Appointing ambassadors and receiving diplomats from other nations
C
Acting as commander in chief of the military
Signing executive agreements with foreign nations
D
Using the power of the purse to support government programs
Using signing statements to shape legislation

Answer 11

C
Acting as commander in chief of the military
Signing executive agreements with foreign nations

Question 12

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?

A)
House of Representatives
Senate
The majority and minority parties control legislative scheduling and rules equally.
Minority party members can threaten to filibuster a bill the majority party wants to pass.

B)
House of Representatives
Senate
The Constitution’s framers intended it to reflect the will of the people.
The Constitution’s framers designed it to represent the interests of the states.

C)
House of Representatives
Senate
Most legislative work takes place in the standing committees.
Based on its size, it tends to have stricter rules affecting the legislative process.

D)
House of Representatives
Senate
Members serve two-year terms with a term limit of up to twelve years.
Members serve six-year terms with no term limits.

Answer 12

B)
House of Representatives
Senate
The Constitution’s framers intended it to reflect the will of the people.
The Constitution’s framers designed it to represent the interests of the states.

Question 13

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the rules for debate used by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?
A)
House of Representatives: Debate is unlimited.
Senate: Debate is unlimited.

B)
House of Representatives: Members can filibuster.
Senate: Members cannot filibuster.

C)
House of Representatives: Debate is limited.
Senate: Members can filibuster.

D)
House of Representatives: Members cannot filibuster.
Senate:Only the majority leader can filibuster.

Answer 13

C)
House of Representatives: Debate is limited.
Senate: Members can filibuster.

Question 14

Which of the following accurately describes the composition of congressional committees?

A)Committees are organized by the executive branch to ensure that both branches can communicate and negotiate policy goals.
B)The United States Constitution requires that Congress organize itself into committees, with each party having equal access to committee seats.
C)Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process.
D)Committees are organized by state delegations so that each state has some role in deciding which bills get passed.

Answer 14

C)Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process.

Question 15

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?
A)
House of Representatives: represents the states equally
Senate: Designed to represent the people

B)
House of Representatives: Initiates revenue bills
Senate: Nominates cabinet members

C)
House of Representatives: Must approve Supreme Court nominees
Senate: Must approve treaties

D)
House of Representatives: Debate on bills is limited
Senate: Debate on bills can be unlimited

Answer 15

D)
House of Representatives: Debate on bills is limited
Senate: Debate on bills can be unlimited

Question 16

If legislation passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate but each version is slightly different, the conflicting bills are sent to
A)a standing committee of each house for a vote
B)an ad hoc committee for judicial review
C)the Rules Committee of each house for reconciliation and compromise
D)the majority and minority leaders of both houses for compromise
E)a conference committee for review and compromise

Answer 16

E)a conference committee for review and compromise

Question 17

The role of a conference committee in Congress is to
A)hold hearings on proposed legislation
B)oversee the actions of the executive branch of the government
C)decide which bills should be considered by the full Senate
D)conduct hearings that make information available to the public
E)reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

Answer 17

E)reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

Question 18

The committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill is called a
A)joint committee
B)select committee
C)special committee
D)conference committee
E)standing committee

Answer 18

D)conference committee

Question 19

In general, Congress is most likely to defer to the President
A)in the area of foreign policy
B)in the area of fiscal policy
C)in the area of social policy
D)late in the President’s term
E)When the economy is strong

Answer 19

A)in the area of foreign policy

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of Congress using its implied powers?
A)Congress changing the tax code so that individuals making more than $350,000 per year have to pay higher taxes
B)Congress requesting that the Supreme Court review the constitutionality of a state gun-control law
C)Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector
D)Congress ratifying a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada

Answer 20

C)Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector

Question 21

Which of the following is an example of a power exclusively granted to the Senate in Article II of the Constitution?
A)Declaring war
B)Overriding a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority veto
C)Confirming ambassadors
D)Creating spending bills

Answer 21

C)Confirming ambassadors

Question 22

Percent of Spending Bills Passed On Time (On or Before October 1) by Congress for Each Fiscal Year
In which year did Congress pass all stand-alone appropriations (spending) bills on time?
A)1977
B)1980
C)1993
D)2012

Answer 22

A)1977

Question 23

Percent of Spending Bills Passed On Time (On or Before October 1) by Congress for Each Fiscal Year:
Which of the following statements is true based on the bar graph?
A)In 1981, 25 percent of stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.
B)From 2011 to 2016, no stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.
C)From 1989 to 1991, 100 percent of stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.
D)In 2017, 50 percent of stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.

Answer 23

B)From 2011 to 2016, no stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.

Question 24

Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT
A)legislating federal appropriations
B)approval of treaties
C)establishing a lower-court system
D)passing federal laws
E)pardoning felons

Answer 24

E)pardoning felons

Question 25

In which of the following scenarios would a presidential veto most likely be upheld?
A)The President has the support of the Supreme Court.
B)The President is in a second term, removed from partisan politics.
C)The proposed legislation enjoys widespread bipartisan support.
D)The proposed legislation was originally adopted by a large majority in both houses of Congress.
E)Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the President.

Answer 25

E)Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the President.

Question 26

Which of the following enumerated powers would permit Congress to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed citizens?
A)The power to create immigration policies
B)The power to regulate interstate commerce
C)The power to pass a federal budget
D)The power of legislative oversight

Answer 26

C)The power to pass a federal budget

Question 27

Ideological Composition of the House of Representatives: Based on the data, which of the following is the most likely consequence for the legislative process in Congress?
A)More competitive races for House seats in the general election
B)A decrease in party-line voting on important legislation introduced in the House
C)An increase in gridlock and failure to compromise on legislation
D)Greater cooperation between Congress and the president on nominations

Answer 27

C)An increase in gridlock and failure to compromise on legislation

Question 28

Which of the following is true about the pocket veto?
A)It is used to strike down a provision of a bill that the President finds disagreeable.
B)It may be overridden by a two-thirds vote in Congress.
C)It occurs when the President takes no action on a bill for ten days during which Congress is adjourned.
D)It is used when the President expects to reach a compromise with Congress about how a bill should be modified.
E)It is used when both houses of Congress pass separate versions of the same bill.

Answer 28

C)It occurs when the President takes no action on a bill for ten days during which Congress is adjourned.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true?
A)They force a bill out of committee so that the full House can vote on it.
B)They are applied to bills that failed in the previous session of Congress.
C)They are applied only to appropriation bills.
D)They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.
E)They occur whenever a bill is reported out of committee.

Answer 29

D)They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.

Question 30

A person claiming that the House can pass legislation with a simple majority, but the Senate is unlikely to pass legislation unless a bill has the support of a 60-vote supermajority is most likely to cite which of the following institutional differences as the cause of this trend?
A)The House has fewer legislative committees than the Senate does.
B)Members of the House often represent a much narrower constituency than senators do.
C)Party leadership in the House is highly formalized, while leadership in the Senate is much more informal.
D)The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.

Answer 30

D)The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.

Question 31

All of the following statements pertaining to the presidential veto are true EXCEPT:
A)Congress overrides fewer than ten percent of presidential vetoes.
B)A vetoed bill is often revised and passed in another form.
C)Presidents often threaten to veto bills to increase their leverage with Congress.
D)A President may veto part of a bill.
E)Congress often places provisions the President wants into a bill the President dislikes to make a veto less likely.

Answer 31

D)A President may veto part of a bill.

Question 32

A “cloture motion” passed in the Senate does which of the following?
A)Returns a bill to committee.
B)Cuts off debate on a bill.
C)Criticizes a senator guilty of improprieties.
D)Removes a President who has been impeached by the House.
E)Brings a bill directly to a vote without formal committee approval.

Answer 32

B)Cuts off debate on a bill.

Question 33

The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings?
A)a party caucus
B)The majority leader’s office
C)The floor of the House
D)Legislative hearings
E)A subcommittee

Answer 33

E)A subcommittee

Question 34

Advocates of shifting the task of drawing United States House districts from state legislatures to independent commissions are likely to claim which of the following as an advantage of independent commissions?
A)House districts drawn by independent commissions are immune from challenges by the United States Department of Justice.
B)Independent commissions are more likely to create majority-minority districts where they are appropriate.
C)Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process.
D)Independent commissions are more likely to create districts where minor parties can be victorious.
E)Independent commissions are more able to draw legislative districts that comply with the one person, one vote standard.

Answer 34

C)Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process.

Question 35

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of procedures in the House of Representatives and procedures in the Senate?

A)
House of Representatives: The Rules Committee decides how long debate will be on most bills.
Senate: The minority can use the filibuster to defeat a bill.

B)
House of Representatives: The House approves revenue bills passed by the Senate first.
Senate: The Senate operates with less formality than the House.

C)
House of Representatives: The House passes articles of impeachment against a president or member of the federal courts.
Senate: The Senate initiates all bills that deal with the federal budget.

D)
House of Representatives: The Speaker of the House is the most powerful member of the chamber.
Senate: The minority leader is the most powerful member of the chamber.

Answer 35

A)
House of Representatives: The Rules Committee decides how long debate will be on most bills.
Senate: The minority can use the filibuster to defeat a bill.

Question 36

Elections for the House of Representative provide
A)approximately equal representation for every voter
B)an equal chance of getting elected for both incumbents and challengers
C)a system in which only those candidates who receive a majority of the votes cast win on the first ballot
D)proportional representation based on the percentage of votes cast for each party
E)proportional representation of racial and ethnic minorities

Answer 36

A)approximately equal representation for every voter

Question 37

If a bill reaches the floor for debate and a member of the minority party opposes the bill, which of the following provides greater leverage to a senator than to a member of the House to block passage of the bill?
A)The Senate allows for unlimited floor debate that can hold up a vote, while the House has strict limits on debate.
B)The Senate is more collegial than the House, so members can easily gain support from the opposing party.
C)The Senate allows for discharge petitions that force the bill out of committee, while the House does not.
D)The Senate is much less likely than the House to have party-line votes, so nonpartisan coalitions are more likely to form.

Answer 37

A)The Senate allows for unlimited floor debate that can hold up a vote, while the House has strict limits on debate.

Question 38

Which of the following committees of the House of Representatives sets the conditions for debate and amendment of most legislation?
A)Ways and Means
B)Appropriations
C)Judiciary
D)Rules
E)Government Operations

Answer 38

D)Rules

Question 39

A member of the House of Representatives who wishes to be influential in the House itself would most likely seek a place on which of the following committees?
A)Agriculture
B)International Relations
C)Transportation and Infrastructure
D)Rules
E)Veterans’ Affairs

Answer 39

D)Rules

Question 40

CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP:A new president has been elected after running on a campaign of lowering taxes and reducing spending on discretionary programs but now must work with Congress to ensure legislation passes which achieves those goals. Which of the leaders in the diagram plays the most crucial role in shaping the legislation that the president wants passed?
A)President pro-tempore
B)Vice president
C)Speaker of the House
D)House majority leader

Answer 40

C)Speaker of the House

Question 41

Which of the following statements about the Senate is true?
A)Each state is represented in the Senate according to its population.
B)The Senate, unlike the House, has a Rules Committee.
C)Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process.
D)The Senate has a strict time limit on debates.
E)The Senate is more responsible than the House for initiating appropriations legislation.

Answer 41

C)Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about Congress is true?
A)Members of Congress only occasionally are interested in and pay attention to constituents.
B)The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining.
C)Lobbyists and political action committees (PAC’s) successfully induce most members of Congress to trade their votes for campaign contributions.
D)The growth in the size of Congress as an organization is the principal cause of growth in the federal budget deficit.
E)Debate in both houses is structured by elaborate rules enacted by leaders of the majority party.

Answer 42

B)The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise and bargaining.

Question 43

The largest source of federal revenue is the
A)capital gains tax
B)Social Security tax
C)property tax
D)income tax
E)sales tax

Answer 43

D)income tax

Question 44

The President’s veto power is accurately described by which of the following statements?
I. A President sometimes threatens to veto a bill that is under discussion in order to influence congressional decision-making.
II. A President typically vetoes about a third of the bills passed by Congress.
III.Congress is usually unable to override a President’s veto.
A)I only
B)III only
C)I and III only
D)II and III only
E)I, II, and III

Answer 44

C)I and III only

Question 45

Which of the following is true of a presidential veto of a piece of legislation?
It is rarely overridden by Congress.
It is not binding unless supported by the cabinet.
It can only be sustained on revenue bills.
It is automatically reviewed by the United States Supreme Court.
It is subject to approval by a congressional committee.

Answer 45

A)It is rarely overridden by Congress.

Question 46

In vetoing a bill, the President does which of the following?
A)Rejects only a part of the bill without rejecting it entirely.
B)Prevents any further action on the bill.
C)Sends the bill back to conference committee.
D)Rejects all sections of the bill.
E)Decides the bill’s constitutionality.

Answer 46

D)Rejects all sections of the bill.

Question 47

A difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that in the House
A)legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules
B)committees are less important in the decision-making process
C)junior members have more influence over legislative decisions
D)party leaders are less powerful
E)bills are more likely to be amended on the floor

Answer 47

A)legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules

Question 48

The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most strongly with
A)the population density of their districts
B)their economic background
C)their educational level
D)their political party affiliation
E)the location of their districts

Answer 48

D)their political party affiliation

Question 49

To get an important bill passed in the House, a provision is added that allocates $500 million to study the impact of global climate change on manatees in Florida. This is an example of
A)the free rider problem
B)pork barrel legislation
C)an issue network
D)gerrymandering

Answer 49

B)pork barrel legislation

Question 50

Senate Vote on S.J. Res 7: A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress: Which of the following conclusions can be drawn based on the table?
A)Forty-six Republicans voted against the bill, which led to a successful filibuster.
B)The bill was able to pass because some Republicans and Independents voted for it along with all Democrats.
C)Independents align most strongly with Republicans in the Senate.
D)The smaller chamber size of the Senate made this bill easier to pass in the Senate than in the House of Representatives.

Answer 50

B)The bill was able to pass because some Republicans and Independents voted for it along with all Democrats.

Question 51

The Supreme Court’s decision in Shaw v. Reno (1993) is most applicable to which of the following scenarios?
A)A public school expels students for protesting school policy.
B)A state establishes a ban on carrying firearms near schools and churches.
C)A state legislature approves a redistricting plan that draws district lines on basis of race.
D)A group of state officials refuse to comply with federal legislation.

Answer 51

C)A state legislature approves a redistricting plan that draws district lines on basis of race.

Question 52

Which of the following congressional plans to create new district maps would most likely face a challenge in the Supreme Court based on precedent?
A)A state legislature hires a private consulting group to fairly balance districts according to political ideology with the unintended consequence of having no districts that are majority Hispanic.
B)A district is drawn by a panel of judges to ensure more competitive elections but inadvertently creates more districts that are majority White than majority African American.
C)A square-shaped contiguous district in which the majority of voters are African American is drawn in a state, using similarity in geographic size as the predominant factor in its creation.
D)A district that has a majority of African American residents is drawn in a state, using race as the predominant factor in its creation.

Answer 52

D)A district that has a majority of African American residents is drawn in a state, using race as the predominant factor in its creation.

Question 53

Which of the following describes the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ?

A)The Voting Rights Act was ruled unconstitutional.
B)The poll tax was eliminated.
C)Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.
D)It was decided that congressional districts needed to be equal in size.

Answer 53

C)Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.

Question 54

Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress?
A)The Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee
B)The Speaker of the House
C)The Minority Whip of the Senate
D)The Majority Whip of the House
E)The Chair of the Senate Finance Committee

Answer 54

B)The Speaker of the House

Question 55

The congressional system of standing committees is significant because it
A)fosters the development of expertise by members
B)helps Congress reduce staff costs
C)insulates decision-making from the influence of special interests
D)weakens Congress in its dealings with the President
E)prevents Congress from effectively processing its large legislative workload

Answer 55

A)fosters the development of expertise by members

Question 56

Which of the following types of committee deals with broad areas of public policy and can be found in both houses of Congress?
A)Rules
B)Select
C)Joint
D)Standing
E)Conference

Answer 56

D)Standing

Question 57

Which of the following is an accurate statement about committees in Congress?
A)The work of a committee ends when it submits a bill to the full House or Senate for consideration.
B)An individual representative or senator can serve on only one committee and one subcommittee.
C)Membership on key committees such as House Rules and Senate Finance is limited to fixed terms.
D)Standing committees oversee the bureaucracy’s implementation of legislation.
E)Committee recommendations tend to have little influence on floor voting.

Answer 57

D)Standing committees oversee the bureaucracy’s implementation of legislation.

Question 58

Congressional district boundaries are usually redrawn every ten years by the

A)Bureau of the Census
B)state legislatures
C)President
D)House Rules Committee
E)Federal Election Commission

Answer 58

B)state legislatures

Question 59

Congressional standing committees are best described as

A)specially appointed investigative bodies
B)joint committees of the two houses of Congress
C)committees created for each session
D)permanent subject-matter committees
E)advisory staff agencies

Answer 59

D)permanent subject-matter committees

Question 60

The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by

A)the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
B)the state legislatures
C)the House Rules Committee
D) a conference committee of the House and Senate
E)the director of the United States Census Bureau

Answer 60

B)the state legislatures

Question 61

HYPOTHETICAL GOVERNMENT: The government depicted above is best described by which of the following terms?

A)Nonpartisan government
B)Unicameral government
C)Unitary government
D)Divided government
E)Dealigned government

Answer 61

D)Divided government

Question 62

A major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that

A)filibusters are possible only in the House
B)revenue bills must originate in the Senate
C)judicial nominations originate in a House committee
D)each state has equal representation in the House but not in the Senate
E)there is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House

Answer 62

E)there is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House

Question 63

Nominations to the Supreme Court must be approved by a

A)simple majority vote in the Senate only
B)simple majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
C)two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives only
D)two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
E)two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate and a majority of the sitting justices on the Supreme Court

Answer 63

A)simple majority vote in the Senate only

Question 64

According to the United States Constitution, all revenue bills must

A)be passed by a conference committee
B)originate in the House of Representatives
C)be passed by two-thirds of the Senate
D)be reviewed by the Supreme Court

Answer 64

B)originate in the House of Representatives

Question 65

The term “pork barrel” refers to legislation specifically designed to
A)encourage a balanced federal budget
B)ensure the careful inspection of farm goods and other foodstuffs
C)distribute excess produce to the poor
D)provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents
E)equalize representation between farming and nonfarming states

Answer 65

D)provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents

Question 66

Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true?
A)It has been banned by United States Supreme Court decisions beginning with Baker v. Carr.
B)It was used traditionally to maintain urban control of the House of Representatives.
C)It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible.
D)It guarantees greater constituency control over elected representatives.
E)It ensures liberal control of the House of Representatives.

Answer 66

C)It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible.

Question 67

“Pork barrel” legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because such legislation
A)gives the member of Congress national standing and coverage on national television news
B)helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district
C)attracts campaign contributions from ideological political action committees (PACs)
D)prevents other candidates from claiming that the member of Congress is too liberal for his or her district
E)requires the member of Congress to travel extensively

Answer 67

B)helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district

Question 68

Which of the following actions by a congressional representative is an example of “pork barreling”?

A)Misusing campaign contributions
B)Directing federal funds into the representative’s district through legislation
C)Accepting money from a political action committee (PAC)
D)Attempting to kill a bill with unacceptable amendments
E)Voting for a salary increase

Answer 68

B)Directing federal funds into the representative’s district through legislation

Question 69

Which of the following are differences between the legislative process in the House of Representatives and that in the Senate?

I. Debate is more restricted on the House floor than on the Senate floor.
II. The amendment process is more restricted in the House than in the Senate.
III. Bills are more likely to bypass committee consideration in the House than in the Senate.
IV. A Rules Committee sets the guidelines for floor debate in the House but not in the Senate.

A)III only
B)I and II only
C)II and IV only
D)I, II, and IV only
E)I, II, III, and IV

Answer 69

D)I, II, and IV only

Question 70

The practice in Congress whereby Representative A promises to vote for Representative B’s legislation, provided that Representative B will support Representative A’s legislation, is referred to as
A)personal casework and services
B)partisan discipline
C)logrolling
D)pork barrel legislation
E)filibustering

Answer 70

C)logrolling

Question 71

Which of the following situations best illustrates the meaning of divided government in the United States political system?

A)The majority of Supreme Court justices are from one party, but the president is from another.
B)The majority of governors are from one party, but the president is from another.
C)The president and a majority of members of Congress are from one party, but the majority of governors are from another.
D)The majority of senators and the majority of representatives are from one party, but the president is from another.
E)The majority of Supreme Court justices are from one party, but the majority of senators and representatives are from another.

Answer 71

D)The majority of senators and the majority of representatives are from one party, but the president is from another.

Question 72

Which of the following is a unique power held by members of the Senate?

A)Control of the veto
B)Control of the appropriations process
C)The ability to filibuster
D)The ability to impeach the president
E)The ability to work with a clearly defined constituency

Answer 72

C)The ability to filibuster

Question 73

Most of the bills introduced in the House and the Senate are then
A)passed by one chamber but not the other
B)passed by both chambers but vetoed by the President
C)referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress
D)voted down during the amendment stage of the floor debate
E)killed in the Rules Committee

Answer 73

C)referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress

Question 74

Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics?
A)The Office of Management and Budget negotiates with Congress to get the president’s budget proposal passed.
B)Senators from states with agricultural economies promote farm price supports.
C)Voters in rural areas support different issue positions than do voters in metropolitan areas.
D)Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole.
E)Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee refuse to endorse the president’s nominees to the federal courts.

Answer 74

D)Members of Congress negotiate bills so that individual districts get money for projects that do not benefit the nation as a whole.

Question 75

Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
A)Holding trials of impeachment
B)Establishing federal courts
C)Approving treaties
D)Holding confirmation hearings
E)Approving major presidential appointments

Answer 75

B)Establishing federal courts

Question 76

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation?
A)A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training program for coal miners
B)A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads
C)A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state
D)A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases

Answer 76

C)A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state