Question 1

The first woman was elected to Congress in ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   1790
B)   1865
C)   1892
D)   1917

Question 2

What is cloture?

Accepted Answer

A)   the ability of a senator to speak for as long as he or she wishes to prevent action from being taken on legislation that he or she opposes
B)   the process by which three-fifths of the Senate can end a filibuster
C)   the rule that allows one house of Congress to circumvent the other during the legislative process
D)   a lawsuit filed by a member of the Senate against a member of the House or vice versa

Question 3

The process of allocating congressional seats among the 50 states is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   redistricting
B)   gerrymandering
C)   redlining
D)   apportionment

Question 4

There are ________ states that have taken redistricting power away from state legislatures and given it to independent commissions.

Accepted Answer

A)   0
B)   6
C)   21
D)   33

Question 5

What does the House Ways and Means Committee have jurisdiction over?

Accepted Answer

A)   taxes, trade, and entitlement programs
B)   foreign relations and national security
C)   rules governing debate on the floor and committee assignments
D)   highways and waterways

Question 6

Republican House member Randy "Duke" Cunningham was

Accepted Answer

A)   sent to jail in 2005 for accepting bribes by companies hoping to receive earmarks in return.
B)   the primary supporter of a bill that would have prohibited the use of earmarks in Congress.
C)   the initiator of a lawsuit heard by the Supreme Court about the constitutionality of earmarks.
D)   the first member of Congress to propose that representatives publish a list of all earmark requests on a single website.

Question 7

Who has the most real power in the Senate?

Accepted Answer

A)   the president of the Senate
B)   the majority and minority leaders
C)   the Senate president pro tempore
D)   the chair of the Rules Committee

Question 8

The term pork barrel refers to

Accepted Answer

A)   any piece of legislation that changes the number of agricultural subsidies provided to farmers by the federal government.
B)   the collective set of laws that regulate America's meat exports.
C)   bills that grant a special privilege to a person named in the bill.
D)   appropriations made by legislative bodies for local projects that are often not needed but are created so that local representatives can win re-election in their home districts.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was unique among joint committees because it

Accepted Answer

A)   included members of both the House and the Senate.
B)   had the power to write and report legislation.
C)   was created as a permanent committee.
D)   only included members of the House of Representatives.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)   The House is more centralized and organized than the Senate.
B)   The House is a looser and more deliberative body than the Senate.
C)   The members of the House are much less specialized than the members of the Senate.
D)   The House has a much greater level of turnover in its membership than the Senate.

Question 12

Most members of the House attempt to stay on good terms with the Speaker of the House because the Speaker

Accepted Answer

A)   has the authority to call all party unity votes.
B)   possesses the power of recognition.
C)   approves all requests for logrolling.
D)   makes all decisions regarding how leadership PACs will distribute their funds.

Question 13

Describe the process by which a bill becomes a law. What are the major steps in the process? What are the main differences in the legislative process between the two houses of Congress?

Accepted Answer

There are two components to this questio...

Question 14

Which sort of representation is based on the principle that if two individuals are similar in background, character, interests, and perspectives, then one could correctly represent the other's views?

Accepted Answer

A)   agency representation
B)   sociological representation
C)   trustee representation
D)   delegate representation

Question 15

Congress is a ________ legislature with ________ members.

Accepted Answer

A)   unicameral; 342
B)   bicameral; 535
C)   bicameral; 100
D)   bicameral; 275

Question 16

What is the most common occupation among members of Congress before coming to Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)   business executive
B)   lobbyist
C)   college professor
D)   lawyer

Question 17

Senators' longer terms of office, and larger, more heterogeneous constituencies makes them more

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

A filibuster allows members of the Senate to

Accepted Answer

A)   refer a bill to multiple committees.
B)   avoid a conference committee.
C)   prevent a vote on a bill by speaking continuously on the floor.
D)   add amendments to any bill at any time.

Question 19

Compared to the rest of American history, recent congresses have been ________ polarized and ________ productive in terms of passing laws.

Accepted Answer

A)   less; equally
B)   less; less
C)   more; less
D)   more; more

Question 20

The Tea Party caucus refers to a group of

Accepted Answer

A)   conservative Republicans in the House and the Senate who seek to advance patriotism and a greater appreciation of American history.
B)   conservative Republicans in the House and the Senate who seek to advance antispending policies.
C)   liberal Democrats in the House and the Senate who seek to advance antispending policies.
D)   liberal Democrats in the House and the Senate who seek to advance patriotism and a greater appreciation of American history.

Exam 12: Congress

The Tea Party caucus refers to a group of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The process of allocating congressional seats among the 50 states is called ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which sort of representation is based on the principle that if two individuals are similar in background, character, interests, and perspectives, then one could correctly represent the other's views?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Who has the most real power in the Senate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Republican House member Randy "Duke" Cunningham was

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congress is a ________ legislature with ________ members.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Compared to the rest of American history, recent congresses have been ________ polarized and ________ productive in terms of passing laws.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does the House Ways and Means Committee have jurisdiction over?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most members of the House attempt to stay on good terms with the Speaker of the House because the Speaker

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Describe the process by which a bill becomes a law. What are the major steps in the process? What are the main differences in the legislative process between the two houses of Congress?

Correct AnswerverifiedThere are two components to this questio...View AnswerShow Answer

The first woman was elected to Congress in ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was unique among joint committees because it

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A filibuster allows members of the Senate to

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The term pork barrel refers to

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What is the most common occupation among members of Congress before coming to Congress?

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What is cloture?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Senators' longer terms of office, and larger, more heterogeneous constituencies makes them more

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are ________ states that have taken redistricting power away from state legislatures and given it to independent commissions.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Congress is a legislature with members.

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Compared to the rest of American history, recent congresses have been polarized and productive in terms of passing laws.

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There are two components to this questio...
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