Congress #4

1) Besides the United States, which other nations have congresses? a) Great Britain only b) Most Latin American countries only c) Most European nations only d) Great Britain and most European nations only

2) In Great Britain’s parliamentary system, candidates for Parliament are selected by a) Other members of Parliament, as in a private club. b) The people, through primary elections. c) Delegates to the party conventions. d) The party.

3) A basic difference between a parliament such as Great Britain’s and the U.S. Congress is that a) Members of Congress are more likely to vote the party line. b) The principal role of Congress is to debate national issues. c) Members of Parliament have more power and higher pay. d) Party members in a parliament vote together on most issues.

4) In Great Britain’s parliamentary system, the re-nomination of a member of Parliament depends principally on that member’s a) Popularity rating in public opinion polls. b) Performance in nationwide primaries. c) Loyalty to the party. d) Performance during his or her tenure in Parliament.

5) In a parliamentary system, when members of the government’s party vote against the parliament, the leadership must a) Form an alliance with the opposition. b) Appeal to the people to influence their representatives. c) Dissolve the parliament and form a new government. d) Resign and name someone from the opposing party to lead the government.

6) A basic difference between a parliament such as Great Britain’s and the U.S. Congress is that a) The principal role of Congress is to debate national issues. b) Members of Parliament have more power and higher pay. c) Members of Congress are more likely to vote the party line. d) Congress does not select a president.

7) If the Framers had created a parliament instead of a congress, it is reasonable to assume that its principal function would be a) Representation and action. b) Debate. c) Involvement in the details of administration. d) Conducting foreign policy. 8) The text suggests that the importance of congressional legislators, compared with members of parliament, can best be inferred from the a) Resources they receive while in office. b) Number of votes they receive in elections. c) Number of votes they cast while in office. d) Frequency with which they debate major bills.

9) Each of the following was an objective of the Framers except a) To make Congress accountable to the executive. b) To oppose concentration of power in a single institution. c) To balance large and small states. d) To have Congress be the dominant institution.

10) The term bicameral used to describe the U.S. legislature means that the legislature a) Has two chambers, or legislative bodies. b) Is elected every two years. c) Consists of both committees and a main body. d) Is based on a system of checks and balances.

11) One important effect of bicameralism is that it a) Ensures a separation of federal powers. b) Balances large and small states. c) Ensures the dominance of Congress over the executive and judicial branches of government. d) Makes Congress subject to the powers of the Supreme Court.

12) Under the original U.S. Constitution, members of the Senate, unlike members of the House, were selected by a) Direct elections. b) The president. c) States legislatures. d) Primary runoffs.

13) Under the original U.S. Constitution, members of the House, unlike members of the Senate, were selected by a) Direct elections. b) The president. c) State legislatures. d) Primary runoffs.

14) The Framers sought to prevent legislative tyranny by a) Requiring Congress to defer to the other branches of government. b) Giving the executive the right to appoint both legislators and Supreme Court justices. c) Severely limiting the powers of Congress. d) Dividing power among the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.

15) Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution confers on Congress all of the following power except a) The power to collect taxes. b) The power to declare war. c) The power to establish courts. d) To power to interpret laws.

16) Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution confers on Congress all of the following powers except a) The power to veto bills. b) The power to collect taxes. c) The power to declare war. d) The power to establish courts.

17) The overriding political question throughout the evolution of Congress has been the a) Balance of power among Congress, the executive, and the judiciary. b) Distribution of powers within Congress. c) Curtailment of presidential activism. d) Role of the parties in selecting members.

18) The general trend in power distribution and decision making throughout the evolution of Congress has been toward a) Centralization – more power for leadership. b) Decentralization – more power for leadership. c) Centralization – more power for individual members. d) Decentralization – more power for individual members.

19) The main reason why the House dominated Congress in the first quarter of the nineteenth century was the a) Dominant role of conservatism. b) Influence of the party caucus. c) Existence of the seniority system. d) Dominant role of sectionalism.

20) During the first quarter of the nineteenth century, congressional leadership was supplied primarily by a) The courts. b) The standing committees. c) The president. d) Powerful legislative leaders.

21) When did the preeminent position in Congress of the House begin to wane? a) In the 1820s b) Immediately after the Civil War c) During the New Deal d) In the 1960s

22) The Senate, not the House, became the crucial forum for debating the issue of slavery because a) The House at the time was dominated by the executive branch. b) The Senate had the larger black representation. c) House representatives were picked by the state legislatures. d) The two sides were equally matched in the Senate. 23) The Senate, not the House, became the crucial forum for debating the issue of slavery because a) The Senate had no rule limiting debate. b) The House at the time was dominated by the executive branch. c) The Senate had the larger black representation. d) House representatives were picked by the state legislatures.

24) The Senate, not the House, became the crucial forum for debating the issue of slavery because a) The House at the time was dominated by the executive branch. b) The Senate had the larger black representation. c) Senators were picked by the state legislatures. d) House rules favored incumbents over challengers.

25) During and after the Civil War, the House regained its power through being united against slavery and against the South. Political scientists call such reasons a) Individualist. b) Collectivist. c) Ideological. d) Partisan.

26) The period in the evolution of the House extending from the late 1800s until the early 1900s was characterized by a) The assertiveness of presidents. b) Strong, partisan, central leadership. c) Decentralization of power and decision making. d) Strengthening of subcommittees and the growth of staffs.

27) In 1910-1911, when the House stripped Speaker Joseph Cannon of many of his powers, these powers flowed to all of the following except a) The party caucus. b) Individual representatives. c) The Rules Committee. d) Chair-people of standing committees.

28) In the 1960s and 1970s, the House completed its gradual evolution in the direction of a) Decentralization. b) Centralization. c) Responsiveness to the electorate. d) Non-responsiveness to the electorate.

29) Decentralization in the House has come to mean that a) The power of individual members has increased. b) The power of the leadership has increased. c) Presidential leadership of the House has increased. d) The power of political parties has increased.

30) Democratization of the Senate in this country came about in large part through a) The popular election of its members. b) Rules to place fewer limits on the filibuster. c) New restrictions placed on cloture motions. d) An end to the seniority system.

31) For a filibuster to be practicable, it must be supported by a) A single senator. b) A number of senators smaller than a majority. c) A majority of senators. d) All senators.

32) The purpose of a filibuster is to a) Ensure that all sides of an issue are heard. b) Delay action in a legislative body. c) Protect majority rule. d) Shift legislative power to the Senate committees.

33) The typical member of Congress is a(n) a) Middle-aged, white, Protestant businessman. b) Older, white, Protestant businessman. c) Older, white, Catholic lawyer. d) Middle-aged, white, Protestant lawyer.

34) In terms of the composition of its membership, the House since 1950 has become a) Less male and less white. b) Less male and more white. c) More male and less white. d) More male and more white.

35) In terms of its percentage of women and nonwhite members since 1950, the Senate, compared with the House, has a) Been slower to change. b) Changed at about the same rate as the House. c) Been faster to change. d) Fewer women and nonwhites in powerful positions.

36) The most important change that has occurred in the composition of the House in this century has been the a) Increase in the number of blacks. b) Increase in the rate of member turnover. c) Decrease in the number of women and other minorities. d) Decrease in the rate of member turnover.

37) Low voter turnout in congressional races is most likely to pose a significant problem for a) Incumbents seeking reelection. b) The accepted notion of democracy. c) Parties trying to control the process. d) Campaign donors seeking to maximize their influence.

38) A marginal district is one in which a) Voters frequently change party affiliation. b) The constituency is made up of largely minority groups. c) The winner in an election gets less than 55 percent of the vote. d) Gerrymandering has produced a loose affiliation of interest groups.

39) One proposed explanation for why congressional seats have become less marginal is that a) The growing strength of the party system makes it less likely for challengers to appeal to average voters. b) Incumbents find it easier than challengers to make their names known. c) Incumbents are less likely than challengers to become associated with the “mess” in Washington. d) Changing demographics have made an increasing number of districts overwhelmingly Democratic or Republican.

40) One proposed explanation for why congressional seats have become less marginal is that a) The growing strength of the party system makes it less likely for challengers to appeal to average voters. b) Incumbents can use their powers to get programs passed that benefit their districts – and thereby themselves. c) Incumbents are less likely than challengers to become associated with the “mess” in Washington. d) Changing demographics have made an increasing number of districts overwhelmingly Democratic or Republican.

41) Political scientist Gary Jacobson argues that Democratic dominance of the House is best explained by a) Incumbency advantages. b) Partisan redistricting. c) Electoral politics. d) Voter turnout in minority districts.

42) The anti-incumbent mood directed toward members of Congress by voters in recent years has worked to the disadvantage of a) Democrats. b) Republicans. c) Democrats and Republicans equally. d) Independents.

43) Malapportionment differs from gerrymandering in that the former a) Involves shapes, the latter involves population. b) Involves population, the latter involves shapes. c) Is legal, the latter is illegal. d) Is illegal, the latter is legal.

44) Gerrymandering is a process by which a) Marginal districts elect the challenger candidate. b) The local political machine is defeated by the challenger. c) The winning candidate receives only 55 percent of the vote. d) A new district boundary is created to favor one party.

45) A situation in which one congressional district in a state has twice the population of another district in the state is called a) A gerrymander. b) A marginal district. c) A safe district. d) Malapportionment.

46) Assume that a district with 1 million residents, 60 percent of whom are Hispanic, is about to be split into two, properly apportioned districts. How could this district be gerrymandered to weaken Hispanic representation? a) It could be divided into two districts of 500,000 residents each, one 80 percent Hispanic and the other 40 percent Hispanic. b) It could be divided into one district with 200,000 residents and the other district with 800,000 residents, each 60 percent Hispanic. c) It could be divided into one district with 200,000 residents, 80 percent of whom are Hispanic, and the other district with 800,000 residents, 55 percent of whom are Hispanic. d) It could be divided into one district with 200,000 residents, 20 percent of whom are Hispanic, and the other district with 800,000 residents, 70 percent of whom are Hispanic.

47) In 1911, Congress decided to fix the size of the House at a) 100. b) 435. c) 465. d) 513.

48) When does reapportionment of seats in the House occur? a) Whenever the total U.S. population increases by 5 percent b) Once every decade c) Whenever called for by the president d) Once every century

49) As a result of population changes reflected in the 1990 census, what regions of the country have gained seats in the House? a) Southern and southwestern states b) Eastern and southern states c) Northern and Midwestern states d) Eastern and western states

50) The purpose of creating majority-minority congressional districts is to a) Make it easier for majority citizens to elect majority representatives. b) Make it easier for minority citizens to elect minority representatives. c) Allow minority citizens to choose their own voting districts. d) Present majority citizens with an alternative voting district.

51) Primary elections are generally most influenced by a) The individual candidate’s efforts. b) The political party’s efforts. c) Presidential endorsements. d) The party that controls Congress.

52) The term sophomore surge refers to the tendency of a) Reelected House members to gain key power positions. b) The popularity of newly elected House members to increase in their second year in office. c) Freshman House members to be reelected. d) Newly elected House members to make foolish (sophomoric) decisions on key votes.

53) A candidate running for Congress today is most likely to attempt to instill among voters a high opinion of the a) Democratic system. b) Home district. c) Candidate. d) Candidate’s party.

54) Legislators who think of themselves as delegates are most likely to a) Follow their constituents’ wishes closely. b) Do what they perceive is best. c) Influence committees to vote the delegate’s position. d) Gather support from interest-group representatives.

55) Legislators who think of themselves as trustees are most likely to a) Follow their constituents’ wishes closely. b) Do what they perceive is best. c) Follow closely their party’s wishes. d) Gather support from interest-group representatives.

56) The reason a member of Congress votes for or against a bill or amendment may be any of the following except a) Representational. b) Conventional. c) Organizational. d) Attitudinal.

57) The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their constituents is referred to as a) Representational. b) Conventional. c) Organizational. d) Attitudinal. 58) The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their colleagues is referred to as a) Representational. b) Conventional. c) Organizational. d) Attitudinal. 59) The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote on the basis of their beliefs is referred to as a) Representational. b) Conventional. c) Organizational. d) Attitudinal.

60) As a member of Congress, you vote for a dairy-support bill favored by the dairy industry in your district. Political scientists would describe your vote as a) Attitudinal. b) Organizational. c) Representational. d) Deliberative.

61) A problem with the representational interpretation of congressional voting behavior is that a) Senior members of Congress have little need to be concerned about public opinion. b) On many key issues, public opinion is weak or vague. c) Such representation relates to the House but not to the Senate. d) Most politicians are not theoreticians.

62) As a member of Congress, you vote for a dairy-support bill because you are a liberal Democrat and the Democratic Study Group supports this position. Political scientists would describe your vote as a) Attitudinal. b) Organizational. c) Representational. d) Deliberative.

63) As a member of Congress, you vote for a dairy-support bill because this is your party’s position. Political scientists would describe your vote as a) Attitudinal. b) Organizational. c) Representational. d) Deliberative.

64) As a member of Congress, you vote for a dairy-support bill because it is consistent with your thinking as a liberal Democrat. Political scientists would describe your vote as a) Attitudinal. b) Organizational. c) Representational. d) Deliberative.

65) Senate conservatives in the 1980s differed from their counterparts in the 1950s and 1960s by basing their conservatism on a) The customs of the Senate. b) Conservative ideology. c) Their power in committees. d) Their influence on the media.

66) Over the past two decades, senators, compared with the average voter, were consistently more a) Conservative. b) Liberal. c) Conservative in the 1970s, liberal in the 1980s. d) Liberal in the 1970s, conservative in the 1980s.

67) In recent years, American voters have political beliefs that are a) Very liberal. b) Very conservative. c) Are close to the center of the political spectrum. d) Similar to members of Congress.

68) In recent years, the political beliefs of members of Congress have become a) More polarized than voters. b) Close to the center of that political spectrum. c) Moderately liberal. d) Moderately conservative.

69) The best way to understand how Congress carries out its business is to think of it as a) A single, centralized bureaucracy. b) Anarchy in a three-piece suit. c) A collection of different kinds of organizations. d) A temporary alliance between warring camps.

70) The British House of Commons differs most obviously from Congress in the role played in it by a) Money. b) Primaries. c) Party organization. d) General elections.

71) If you wished to study the real leadership office in the Senate, you would most likely focus on the a) President pro tempore. b) Majority leader. c) Party whip. d) Chairperson of the Policy Committee.

72) In the Senate, the greatest power is in the hands of the a) Speaker. b) President pro tempore. c) Minority whip. d) Majority leader.

73) A member of the Senate has just been elected to a position that requires him to keep the majority leader informed about the opinions of other party members. He has just been elected a) Majority party whip. b) President pro tempore. c) Chairman of the Steering Committee. d) Chairman of the Policy Committee.

74) A liberal freshman senator from New York would be most likely to find himself appointed to a committee dominated by a) Liberal senators from eastern states. b) Conservative senators from eastern states. c) Liberal senators from western states. d) Conservative senators from western states.

75) From the standpoint of the ambitions of a newly elected Democratic senator, the most important element in party organization is the a) Steering Committee. b) Party whip. c) Foreign Relations Committee. d) President pro tempore.

76) From the standpoint of the ambitions of a newly elected Republican senator, the most important element in party organization is the a) Steering Committee. b) Party whip. c) Foreign Relations Committee. d) President pro tempore.

77) The most important aspect of the process of selecting Senate members for key leadership and committee positions is a) Paying off political debts and returning political favors. b) Finding the best person available for the job. c) Selecting individuals who make an effective television appearance. d) Achieving ideological and regional balance.

78) The numerical superiority of House representatives over senators carries with it the implication that the a) House holds more power than the Senate. b) Senate holds more power than the House. c) Senate leadership has more control than the House leadership. d) House leadership has more control than the Senate leadership.

79) Among the many powers of the House Speaker is that he or she a) Decides whom to recognize to speak on the floor. b) Assigns party members to the various committees. c) Keeps party leaders informed about the opinions of their party members. d) Schedules legislation.

80) Among the many powers of the House Speaker is that he or she a) Decides to which committee bills go. b) Assigns party members to the various committees. c) Keeps party leaders informed about the opinions of their party members. d) Schedules legislation.

81) Among the many powers of the House Speaker is that he or she a) Appoints members of special and select committees. b) Assigns party members to the various committees. c) Keeps party leaders informed about the opinions of their party members. d) Schedules legislation.

82) Among the many powers of the House Speaker is that he or she a) Rules on the relevance of motions. b) Assigns party members to the various committees. c) Keeps party leaders informed about the opinions of their party members. d) Schedules legislation.

83) Compared to the Senate of the 1950s and 1960s, today’s Senate can best be described as a) Less party centered, less leader oriented, more hospitable to freshmen, more heavily staffed, and more subcommittee oriented. b) More party centered, more leader oriented, more hospitable to freshmen, more heavily staffed, and less subcommittee oriented. c) Less party centered, more leader oriented, more hospitable to freshmen, less heavily staffed, and more subcommittee oriented. d) More party centered, less leader oriented, less hospitable to freshmen, less heavily staffed, and less subcommittee oriented.

84) Votes in Congress that evoked party splits during the 1990s were most likely to be reflected of a) Parties interested in winning elections. b) Parties attempting to dispense patronage. c) Sharp ideological differences between parties. d) Party efforts to keep power.

85) Members of Congress tend to support the policy positions of their party for all of the following reasons except a) Those positions often coincide with their own ideology. b) They often lack information on which to base a decision on the issues. c) Such support helps their advancement within the party. d) The party pays most of their campaign expenses.

86) One reason why members of Congress tend to support the policy positions of their party is that a) Those positions often coincide with their own ideology. b) Congressional rules require party support on all partisan issues. c) Support for the party position is essential in the eyes of most voters. d) The party pays most of their campaign expenses.

87) One reason why members of Congress tend to support the policy positions of their party is that a) They often look to party leadership on matters about which they have little information and no opinion. b) Congressional rules require party support on all partisan issues. c) Support for the party position is essential in the eyes of most voters. d) The party pays most of their campaign expenses.

88) One reason why members of Congress tend to support the policy positions of their party is that a) Such support helps their advancement within the party. b) Congressional rules require party support on all partisan issues. c) Support for the party position is essential in the eyes of most voters. d) The party pays most of their campaign expenses.

89) ______caucuses are formed by groups whose members share a similar ideology. a) Intraparty b) Personal c) Constituency d) Delegate

90) ______caucuses from around common interests in an issue. a) Intraparty b) Personal c) Constituency d) Delegate

91) ______caucuses are perceived by their members as representing certain groups nationwide. a) Intraparty b) Personal c) Constituency d) Delegate

92) The Congressional Black Caucus is one of the best known a) National constituency caucuses. b) Interest groups. c) State delegations. d) Specialized caucuses.

93) A coalition of House members who support price supports for peanuts would be most likely to label themselves a(n) a) Standing committee. b) Lobby. c) Interest group. d) Constituency caucus.

94) Most of the power in Congress is found in a) The committees. b) Specialized caucuses. c) State delegations. d) Party leaders.

95) Because they are usually the ones that can report out bills, the most important committees are the a) Joint committees. b) Conference committees. c) Standing committees. d) Select committees.

96) A member of Congress who is interested in increasing support for the aged would be best advised to a) Make a speech about the difficulties of the aged. b) Send a newsletter to constituents describing the difficulties of the aged. c) Get her or his party to state its concern about the aged. d) Get the House or Senate to create a select committee on the aged.

97) Where is the real work of Congress done? a) On the House floor b) On the Senate floor c) In the committees in both houses d) In floor sessions in both houses

98) The type of committee most likely to deal with a bill near the end of its legislative process is the a) Standing committee. b) Select committee. c) Conference committee. d) Joint committee.

99) Since the 1970s, the chair people of House committees have been chosen by a) Secret ballot. b) Voice vote. c) Years of seniority. d) The Committee on Committees.

100) The changes brought about by the committee bill of rights in the early 1970s included the right to have subcommittee jurisdiction determined by the a) Democratic Study Group (DSG). b) Majority party members on the committee. c) Party whips. d) Committee chairperson.

101) The maximum number of committees that can be chaired by one senator is a) One. b) Two. c) Three. d) There is no limit on the number.

102) A recent trend in Congress has been for the number of amendments to proposed laws to a) Decrease, along with the number of individuals offering them. b) Increase, but with the number of those offering them to decrease. c) Increase, along with the number of individuals offering them. d) Decrease, but with the number of those offering them to increase.

103) In the Senate, committees such as Rules and Administration, Small Business, and Veterans’ Affairs are examples of a) Major committees. b) Minor committees. c) Select committees. d) Conference committees.

104) If you were a newly elected member of Congress interested in becoming an expert on a particular policy and influencing your colleagues on this policy, you would probably ask to be assigned to the a) Appropriations Committee. b) Ways and Means Committee. c) Public Works and Transportation Committee. d) Ethics Committee.

105) If you were a newly elected member of Congress interested in serving constituency groups, you would probably ask to be assigned to the a) Post Office and Civil Service Committee. b) Foreign Affairs Committee. c) Armed Services Committee. d) Standards of Official Conduct Committee.

106) Until the 1990s the most rapidly growing bureaucracy in Washington was that of a) Congressional leaders. b) Congressional lobbyists. c) Intergovernmental liaison staff. d) Staff members of Congress.

107) Some scholars argue that incumbents in Congress are hard to defeat because of a) Their many years of experience. b) Their superior campaigning skills. c) The way their party supports them. d) The constituency services of their staffs.

108) Staff members are most likely to see themselves entirely as personal advocates if they work a) For a committee minority. b) On a research agency in Congress. c) For a committee majority. d) For individual members of Congress.

109) If you work on the staff of a member of Congress, you are most likely to a) Become an advocate of bills that are clearly in the public interest. b) See the public interest through the eyes of your employer. c) Remain objective about the bills that are supported by your employer. d) Be an independent thinker. 110) One effect of the growth in congressional staff has been to a) Speed up legislation. b) Give members of Congress more control over legislation. c) Generate more legislative work. d) Decrease reliance on lobbies as sources of information.

111) One effect of the growth in congressional staff has been to a) Speed up legislation. b) Give members of Congress more control over legislation. c) Shift the advocacy of new programs to staff members. d) Decrease reliance on lobbies as sources of information.

112) Increased reliance on staff has made Congress more a) Collegial. b) Personal. c) Deliberative. d) Individualistic.

113) If you are a committee staff member and want to know the status of a bill, you can get the information most quickly from the a) Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). b) Congressional Budget Office (CBO). c) Congressional Research Service (CRS). d) Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

114) The original purpose of the General Accounting Office (GAO) was to perform a) Research in the Library of Congress. b) Audits of financial records. c) Evaluations of technological advancements. d) Employment application evaluations.

115) The staff agency that advises Congress on the probable economic effect of different spending programs and the cost of proposed policies is the a) Congressional Budget Office (CBO). b) General Accounting Office (GAO). c) Congressional Research Service (CRS). d) Office of Technology Assessment (OTA).

116) Which of the following statements about the speed with which bills move through Congress is correct? a) It has been decreasing as Congress has grown. b) It can vary enormously. c) It is depressingly slow in most cases. d) It has been increasing in the electronic age.

117) Which of the following bills is most likely to pass through Congress quickly? a) A bill calling for a major increase in defense spending b) A bill dealing with energy conservation c) A bill affecting our trade policy with the European Economic Community d) A bill dealing with aid to the handicapped

118) Which of the following types of bills is most likely to move speedily through Congress? a) One that deals with spending money b) One that involves the regulation of business c) One that embodies a clear and appealing idea d) One that involves foreign trade

119) A bill can be introduced in Congress by a) Any member of the majority party. b) Any member of Congress. c) Any member of Congress or the president. d) Members of the relevant committees only.

120) The complexity of the procedure for enacting a law gives the advantage to the bill’s a) Party supporters. b) Opponents. c) Congressional sponsors. d) Supporters in the executive branch.

121) Which of the following statements about introducing a bill in Congress is correct? a) A bill not passed during the life of one Congress cannot be introduced again during the next Congress. b) Bills are initiated by the president, not by Congress. c) A bill not passed during the life of one Congress is dead. d) Most bills introduced today are private rather than public bills.

122) If a member of the House wants to establish a select committee, he or she is most likely to be introducing a a) Joint resolution. b) Bill. c) Concurrent resolution. d) Simple resolution.

123) Which of the following statements about most joint resolutions is correct? a) They require the approval of both houses but not the signature of the president. b) They require the approval of one house only along with the signature of the president. c) They must be approved by two-thirds vote of each house. d) They require the approval of both houses and the signature of the president.

124) To propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Congress would have to pass a a) Joint resolution. b) Concurrent resolution. c) Simple resolution. d) Bill. 125) A member of Congress who wants a constitutional amendment can introduce a a) Simple resolution. b) Motion of approval. c) Joint resolution. d) Concurrent resolution.

126) Which of the following statements about revenue bills is correct? a) They must originate in the House. b) They must originate in the Senate. c) They must originate with the president. d) They can originate in either the House or the Senate.

127) A bill to raise taxes would first be referred to the a) House Ways and Means Committee. b) Senate Appropriations Committee. c) House Appropriations Committee. d) Congressional Budget Office.

128) The trade bill of 1988 was considered by fourteen committees in the House and nine in the Senate. This illustrates the legislative process of a) Marking up. b) Joint sponsorship. c) Restriction. d) Multiple referral.

129) The ______process allows the Speaker to send a bill to a second committee after the first committee is finished acting on it. a) Definitive referral. b) Remedial referral. c) Multiple referral. d) Sequential referral.

130) A mark-up session is one in which a) A committee or subcommittee makes changes in the original version of a bill. b) The party leadership assigns priority ratings to numerous bills. c) The Rules Committee determines the conditions under which floor debate will be conducted. d) A conference committee makes key compromises before reporting back to both houses.

131) A discharge petition is used by the House to a) Make revisions and additions to a bill before it is voted on. b) Get a bill stalled in committee onto the floor. c) Amend a bill that has already passed one house but not the other. d) Override a presidential veto.

132) If a House bill has just been reported out of committee and its sponsor is worried that floor amendments will substantially change it, he or she would be most likely to request a(n) a) Discharge petition from his or her colleagues. b) Closed rule from the Rules Committee. c) Open rule from the majority leader. d) Amendment from one of the select committees.

133) The effect of allowing bills to be debated under open rather than closed or restrictive rules is to a) Reduce the time needed to vote on a final bill. b) Give greater control to the committees. c) Set a time limit on debate. d) Increase the number of amendments.

134) Unlike the House, the scheduling of legislation in the Senate is a) Controlled by the Rules Committee. b) Initiated by means of a discharge petition. c) Governed by closed rather than open rules. d) Determined by the majority and minority leaders.

135) A rider is usually added to a bill to a) Speed up the legislative process. b) Slow down the legislative process. c) Reward or punish certain interest groups. d) Circumvent or influence presidential action.

136) A bill that has many nongermane amendments tacked on is called a a) Christmas-tree bill. b) Pork-barrel bill. c) Dirkson Special bill. d) Full-House rider.

137) In the Senate, a filibuster can be ended by invoking a) A rider. b) A quorum. c) Mark-up. d) Cloture.

138) Which of the following statements about the current cloture rule is correct? a) It requires three-fifths of the entire Senate membership to pass. b) It sets a time limit on debate of five minutes per speaker. c) It requires half of the entire Senate membership to sign a petition to move cloture. d) It is used more frequently by the House than by the Senate.

139) If you wanted to know what a member of Congress really thought about a bill, you would be best advised to look at how he or she voted a) On the final passage of a bill. b) On amendments to the bill. c) During the quorum call on the bill. d) On the referral of the bill. 140) To find out how members of Congress voted on a particular bill, it is most useful to have a a) Voice vote or a division vote. b) Roll-call vote or a teller vote. c) Roll-call vote or a division vote. d) Teller vote or a division vote.

141) Which of the following statements about different methods of voting for a bill in the House and Senate is correct? a) Roll-call votes in the House are handled orally. b) Individual votes may or may not be recorded. c) Roll-call votes are less numerous today than forty years ago. d) A division vote involves members shouting yea or nay.

142) When a bill passes the House and Senate in substantially different forms, the differences are resolved in a) Joint committees. b) A committee of the whole. c) The Rules Committee. d) A conference committee.

143) Which of the following statements about conference reports is correct? a) They can be amended. b) They cannot be rejected. c) They must be approved by a majority of each party delegation. d) They tend to favor the House version of a bill.

144) Each of the following is required in both houses for Congress to override a presidential veto except a) A two-thirds majority of those present. b) A discharge petition. c) A roll-call vote. d) A quorum.

145) A modern view of Congress, in direct opposition to James Madison’s views, is that a) Elected officials should mirror, not mediate, the majority’s views. b) Legislators should have expert staffs, travel allowances, and mailing privileges in order to carry out their duties. c) Congress serves the public interest best by not being captive to special interests. d) Congress should deliberate slowly in order to balance competing views.

146) One of the benefits of making Congress capable of speedily adopting sweeping changes in national policies would be to a) End policy gridlock. b) Allow the identification of competing interests. c) Enable the consideration of opposing views. d) Block unpopular legislative action. 147) A problem that could arise with a Congress capable of moving quickly to adopt wise policies is that it could a) Create policy gridlock. b) Move quickly to adopt unwise policies. c) Quickly enact popular policies. d) Promote executive power.

148) A 1992 survey showed that ______of Americans favor some sort of term limits. a) 20 percent b) 50 percent c) 80 percent d) 95 percent

149) The text suggests that one effect of some of the proposals for lifetime term limits would be a) The creation of amateur legislators who are less likely to compromise. b) A Congress of office-hopping professionals. c) Less money spent on campaigning. d) A greater number of Americans available for public service.

150) The decentralization and separation of government powers under the U.S. Constitution has made political corruption a) More difficult to achieve. b) Easier to achieve. c) Easier to detect. d) Less frequent, but greater in scale.

151) More opportunities for corruption exist in a decentralized political system because a) More officials are basically corrupt than in a centralized system. b) More money is available. c) More officials can affect policy. d) More greed exists.

152) Which of the following is NOT a reason why less corruption exists in Congress today than in the nineteenth century? a) People are better educated. b) Party bosses have lost power. c) The media have a strong incentive to expose corruption. d) Congress is more centralized.

153) Congressional codes of ethics passed by Congress in 1978, 1989, and 1995 were based on the questionable assumption that a) Congress is capable of policing itself. b) Citizens actually want honest politicians. c) Improper influence can be equated with financial deals. d) You can dip clear water from a muddy stream.

154) Rules that assume money is the only source of political corruption fail to account for a) The role of education. b) The influence of parties. c) Political alliances and personal friendships. d) Income derived from speaking and writing.

155) Of the following, the Framers were most committed to creating a a) Powerful Congress. b) Weak Congress. c) Congress that would not be corrupted. d) Congress that could police itself.

156) The first stage in the evolution of the House, lasting from the end of World War I to the early 1960s, was characterized by a) An increase in the size of staffs. b) Decentralized power with relative independence for members. c) Powerful committee chairpeople, mostly southerners. d) Weak leadership, democratic committees, and a focus on reelection.

157) The second stage in the evolution of the House, beginning in the early 1970s, was characterized by all of the following except a) An increase in the size of staffs. b) Decentralized power with relative independence for members. c) Powerful committee chairmen, mostly southerners. d) An increase in the number of rules that would allow floor amendments.

158) An important factor in the emergence of a more democratic House beginning in the early 1970s was a) Abscam, especially its effect on the power of the presidency. b) Increasing deference to powerful party leaders and committee chairpeople. c) The Speaker’s acquisition of the power to appoint a majority of the members of the Rules Committee. d) Dissatisfaction with southern resistance to civil rights bills.

159) Congress was moved to reassert its authority beginning in the early 1970s as a consequence of a) Watergate and the energy crisis. b) The Vietnam War and Watergate. c) Rampant inflation and the Vietnam War. d) The energy crisis and rampant inflation.

160) One of the apparent manifestations of congressional weakness during the 1970s was a) Presidential refusal to spend appropriated money. b) The continued existence of racial discrimination. c) The reluctance of incumbent members to run for reelection. d) The decrease in interest group activity.

161) Recent presidents would probably not agree that a) They have difficulty getting key bills through Congress. b) Congress involves itself too much in foreign policy. c) Congress has become weaker and presidents stronger. d) Presidents have become weaker and Congress stronger. ANSWERS

1) B

2) D

3) D

4) C

5) C

6) D

7) B

8) A

9) A

10) A

11) B

12) C

13) A

14) D

15) D

16) A

17) B

18) D

19) B

20) C

21) A

22) D

23) A

24) C 25) C

26) B

27) B

28) A

29) A

30) A

31) B

32) B

33) D

34) A

35) A

36) D

37) B

38) C

39) B

40) B

41) C

42) A

43) B

44) D

45) D

46) A

47) B

48) B

49) A 50) B

51) A

52) C

53) C

54) A

55) B

56) B

57) A

58) C

59) D

60) C

61) B

62) B

63) B

64) A

65) B

66) D

67) C

68) A

69) C

70) C

71) B

72) D

73) A

74) D 75) A

76) D

77) D

78) D

79) A

80) A

81) A

82) A

83) A

84) C

85) D

86) A

87) A

88) A

89) A

90) B

91) C

92) A

93) D

94) A

95) C

96) D

97) C

98) C

99) A 100) B

101) A

102) C

103) B

104) B

105) A

106) D

107) D

108) D

109) B

110) C

111) C

112) D

113) C

114) B

115) A

116) B

117) D

118) C

119) B

120) B

121) C

122) D

123) D

124) A 125) C

126) A

127) A

128) D

129) D

130) A

131) B

132) B

133) B

134) D

135) D

136) A

137) D

138) A

139) B

140) B

141) B

142) D

143) C

144) B

145) A

146) A

147) B

148) C

149) A 150) B

151) C

152) D

153) C

154) C

155) A

156) C

157) C

158) D

159) B

160) A

161) C