Question 1

In Beyond Ideology, political scientist Frances Lee shows that

Accepted Answer

A)   the number of bills passed each year by Congress has dropped dramatically from year to year because of partisan gridlock.
B)   lawmakers generally avoid partisan negotiations or attacks when dealing with low-stakes issues in order to get more business done.
C)   the congressional agenda is less and less shaped by partisan consideration rather than reelection priorities.
D)   even on low-stake issues, lawmakers exploit negotiation and floor debate to attack opponents and promote their party's image.
E)   the congressional agenda is increasingly shaped by policy priorities rather than partisan consideration.

Question 2

Bills are formally introduced in Congress by

Accepted Answer

A)   members of Congress only.
B)   executive agencies.
C)   interest groups.
D)   the Supreme Court.
E)   All of these answers are correct.

Question 3

The most powerful person from the minority party in the House is the

Accepted Answer

A)   minority whip.
B)   minority leader.
C)   deputy whip.
D)   Speaker of the House.
E)   None of these answers is correct.

Question 4

In contrast with the Speaker of the House, the Senate majority leader

Accepted Answer

A)   plays a key role in formulating the majority party's legislative positions.
B)   seeks to develop influential relationships with his/her colleagues.
C)   is not the presiding officer of his/her chamber.
D)   holds a position that is defined in the Constitution.
E)   None of these answers is correct.

Question 5

Most of the work on legislation in Congress is done

Accepted Answer

A)   by committees and their respective subcommittees.
B)   on the floor of the House and Senate.
C)   by conference committees.
D)   by the president.
E)   by bureaucratic agencies.

Question 6

There are currently ________ voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and ________ voting members of the U.S. Senate.

Accepted Answer

A)   535; 100
B)   435; 100
C)   150; 31
D)   300; 100
E)   600; 300

Question 7

A standing committee in the House or Senate

Accepted Answer

A)   is a permanent committee.
B)   has jurisdiction over a particular policy area.
C)   has authority to draft, amend, and recommend legislation.
D)   is usually organized according to the seniority principle.
E)   All of these answers are correct.

Question 8

What percentage of state legislators are women?

Accepted Answer

A)   less than 5 percent
B)   more than 20 percent
C)   about 50 percent
D)   about 60 percent
E)   more than 40 percent

Question 9

In which of the following legislative sessions did Democrats have the majority in the House of Representatives?

Accepted Answer

A)   2003-2004
B)   2005-2006
C)   2009-2010
D)   2011-2012
E)   2013-2014

Question 10

Most of the legislative work of Congress is performed by

Accepted Answer

A)   the standing committees and their subcommittees with jurisdiction over particular policy areas.
B)   the joint committees chosen to coordinate actions between the two chambers of Congress.
C)   the select committees chosen to study special problems on a temporary basis.
D)   the steering committees that decide how the party stands on particular bills.
E)   party leaders in both chambers.

Question 11

Which one of the following statements about the seniority principle is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)   The seniority principle is based on the length of time the member has spent in Congress.
B)   Because of seniority, committee chairs exercise absolute power over their committees.
C)   Seniority is no longer absolute in the selection of committee chairs, but it is usually followed.
D)   Seniority is no longer used at all in the choice of committee chairs.
E)   Seniority is used in the Democratic Party, but not the Republican Party.

Question 12

Committee staffs within Congress

Accepted Answer

A)   concentrate on constituency relations.
B)   perform an almost entirely legislative function.
C)   concentrate on public relations.
D)   split their time between legislative functions and public relations.
E)   are devoted to logistical functions and committee public relations.

Question 13

To override a presidential veto, Congress must vote by

Accepted Answer

A)   a simple majority.
B)   a three-fifths majority.
C)   a two-thirds majority.
D)   a four-fifths majority.
E)   a simple majority in the House and a three-fifths majority in the Senate.

Question 14

Campaign spending tends to be a much greater task for

Accepted Answer

A)   challengers than for incumbents.
B)   Republican candidates.
C)   Democratic candidates.
D)   candidates in urban areas than for candidates in rural areas.
E)   men than for women.

Question 15

"Mark up" of a bill means that

Accepted Answer

A)   a president has crossed out sections of the bill that he or she finds personally objectionable.
B)   a bill has been approved after floor debate has finished.
C)   witnesses at committee hearings suggest modifications of the bill.
D)   the House Speaker and Senate majority leader have written a bill in a way that they favor.
E)   None of these answers is correct.

Question 16

What is the strategy employed in the Senate to prevent a bill from coming to a vote?

Accepted Answer

A)   mark up
B)   filibuster
C)   cloture
D)   pocket veto
E)   conference committee

Question 17

In the nation's first century,

Accepted Answer

A)   service in Congress was even more of a lifetime career than it is now.
B)   members of Congress would move from House to Senate and back with little concern for the relative power and prestige of the chambers.
C)   service in Congress was not seen as a lifetime career for most of its members.
D)   service in Congress was restricted by the imposition of term limits in many states.
E)   service in Congress was greatly preferred to service in state government.

Question 18

The framers of the Constitution saw this as the preeminent component of the federal government:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Supreme Court.
B)   the bureaucracy.
C)   the Congress.
D)   the president.
E)   None of these answers is correct.

Question 19

Compared to House incumbents, Senate incumbents are more likely to face the problem of

Accepted Answer

A)   raising enough money to run a strong campaign.
B)   an electorate that is inclined to judge their fitness for reelection in the context of pork-barrel legislation and other favors for the local community.
C)   a strong challenger.
D)   name recognition.
E)   All of these answers are correct.

Question 20

The scheduling of bills in the Senate is left up to

Accepted Answer

A)   the Senate Scheduling Committee.
B)   the Senate majority leader.
C)   each of the Senate committees.
D)   the Senate historian.
E)   the Senate parliamentarian.

Exam 11: Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests

In contrast with the Speaker of the House, the Senate majority leader

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Committee staffs within Congress

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Bills are formally introduced in Congress by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In which of the following legislative sessions did Democrats have the majority in the House of Representatives?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

"Mark up" of a bill means that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the nation's first century,

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most of the legislative work of Congress is performed by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The framers of the Constitution saw this as the preeminent component of the federal government:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

To override a presidential veto, Congress must vote by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The scheduling of bills in the Senate is left up to

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the strategy employed in the Senate to prevent a bill from coming to a vote?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What percentage of state legislators are women?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Compared to House incumbents, Senate incumbents are more likely to face the problem of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The most powerful person from the minority party in the House is the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A standing committee in the House or Senate

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are currently ________ voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and ________ voting members of the U.S. Senate.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Campaign spending tends to be a much greater task for

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most of the work on legislation in Congress is done

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which one of the following statements about the seniority principle is MOST accurate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Beyond Ideology, political scientist Frances Lee shows that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

There are currently voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and voting members of the U.S. Senate.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified