Question 1

If the Rules Committee applies the "closed rule" to a bill,

Accepted Answer

A)   no amendments will be permitted.
B)   the bill will not be allowed a vote.
C)   the bill will require a 2/3 majority for passage.
D)   no further floor debate is allowed.
E)   no filibusters will be allowed to prevent a vote.

Question 2

Approximately __ percent of Senate incumbents win reelection.

Accepted Answer

A)   57
B)   65
C)   74
D)   87
E)   98

Question 3

Senators are generally less likely to take directions from their leaders than House members because

Accepted Answer

A)   senators are prohibited by their state legislatures from taking orders from others.
B)   senators think of themselves as being equals and are only willing to be led by persuasion.
C)   senators are more highly paid than House members and are thus immune from financial threats.
D)   House rules mandate that all party members on major bills must vote according to the directions of their leaders.
E)   All of these answers are correct.

Question 4

Committees kill more than ________ percent of the bills submitted in Congress.

Accepted Answer

A)   10
B)   25
C)   40
D)   66
E)   90

Question 5

For a bill to pass in either chamber of Congress, it must

Accepted Answer

A)   receive the support of a third of its members.
B)   receive the support of a simple majority of its members.
C)   receive the support of two-thirds of its members.
D)   be passed within two weeks of its passage by the other chamber.
E)   be passed within a month of its passage by the other chamber.

Question 6

In midterm elections,

Accepted Answer

A)   the president's party usually loses seats.
B)   voter turnout is substantially higher than in presidential elections.
C)   half the House is up for reelection.
D)   voters are more likely to have weaker ties to political parties.
E)   All of these answers are correct.

Question 7

In an average election, about 1 in __ House seats is a truly competitive election.

Accepted Answer

A)   2
B)   3
C)   4
D)   5
E)   6

Question 8

The second-most powerful federal official (after the president)  is often said to be the

Accepted Answer

A)   chair of the House Appropriations Committee.
B)   president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate.
C)   Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
D)   chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
E)   Senate majority leader.

Question 9

Explain the difficulties involving the representation function of Congress. How does the representation function conflict with the lawmaking function of Congress?

Accepted Answer

The representation function of Congress ...

Question 10

The modern Congress is different from the nineteenth century Congress in that most members

Accepted Answer

A)   are now professional politicians who want to stay in Congress.
B)   are now amateur politicians who want only to spend a short time in Congress.
C)   are now minorities or women.
D)   now have previously been governors of their home states.
E)   return to their respective state legislatures after their congressional service is over.

Question 11

Legislation whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is

Accepted Answer

A)   pork-barrel legislation.
B)   logrolling.
C)   gerrymandering.
D)   private legislation.
E)   public interest legislation.

Question 12

Congressional oversight is MOST likely to occur when it involves

Accepted Answer

A)   White House activities with the opposition party in control of one or both chambers of Congress.
B)   congressional activities of a questionable nature.
C)   allegations of misconduct by individual low-level bureaucrats.
D)   allegations of misconduct by state governments.
E)   unpopular decisions of the Supreme Court.

Question 13

In the 1970s, roll-call votes

Accepted Answer

A)   generally demonstrated the power of incumbents.
B)   generally demonstrated an increase in party loyalty.
C)   generally did not pit most Republicans against most Democrats.
D)   were less common than voice votes.
E)   were generally not used to record each member's vote.

Question 14

Why do congressional incumbents have such a high rate of reelection?

Accepted Answer

Incumbents have a great advantage in con...

Question 15

Congressional staffers spend most of their time on

Accepted Answer

A)   constituency service and legislative matters.
B)   legislative matters.
C)   constituency service and public relations.
D)   legislative matters and constituency service.
E)   public relations.

Question 16

What is congressional oversight and how strongly is it pursued by Congress?

Accepted Answer

Congressional oversight is the responsib...

Question 17

Nearly ________ percent of all PAC contributions go to the incumbents.

Accepted Answer

A)   10
B)   30
C)   50
D)   70
E)   85

Question 18

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

A)   Political parties are unimportant in the organization of the U.S. Congress.
B)   Party-line voting rarely occurs in Congress.
C)   Party-line voting has increased in recent years.
D)   Partisanship makes virtually no difference in the votes cast in Congress.
E)   None of these answers is correct.

Question 19

Approximately __ percent of House incumbents win reelection.

Accepted Answer

A)   57
B)   65
C)   74
D)   82
E)   92

Question 20

The dominant policymaking political institution during most of the nineteenth century was

Accepted Answer

A)   the president and the executive branch.
B)   Congress.
C)   the Supreme Court.
D)   the bureaucracy.
E)   the mass media.

Exam 11: Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the 1970s, roll-call votes

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The second-most powerful federal official (after the president) is often said to be the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congressional oversight is MOST likely to occur when it involves

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why do congressional incumbents have such a high rate of reelection?

Correct AnswerverifiedIncumbents have a great advantage in con...View AnswerShow Answer

What is congressional oversight and how strongly is it pursued by Congress?

Correct AnswerverifiedCongressional oversight is the responsib...View AnswerShow Answer

For a bill to pass in either chamber of Congress, it must

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Approximately __ percent of Senate incumbents win reelection.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Committees kill more than ________ percent of the bills submitted in Congress.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Approximately __ percent of House incumbents win reelection.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Legislation whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The modern Congress is different from the nineteenth century Congress in that most members

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Nearly ________ percent of all PAC contributions go to the incumbents.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Explain the difficulties involving the representation function of Congress. How does the representation function conflict with the lawmaking function of Congress?

Correct AnswerverifiedThe representation function of Congress ...View AnswerShow Answer

Senators are generally less likely to take directions from their leaders than House members because

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congressional staffers spend most of their time on

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If the Rules Committee applies the "closed rule" to a bill,

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In an average election, about 1 in __ House seats is a truly competitive election.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The dominant policymaking political institution during most of the nineteenth century was

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In midterm elections,

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Incumbents have a great advantage in con...
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Congressional oversight is the responsib...
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The representation function of Congress ...
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