Question 1

The president pro tempore of the Senate is usually

Accepted Answer

A)  the minority party leader with the greatest seniority.
B)  the minority party leader with the least seniority.
C)  selected directly by the president.
D)  the majority party member with the greatest seniority.

Question 2

Many interest groups produce "scorecards" that

Accepted Answer

A)  add up the number of positive and negative news stories about issues of importance to that group.
B)  measure the length of time it takes for a bill to become a law.
C)  track which policies are most popular with members of the public.
D)  rate how members of Congress vote on issues of importance to that group.

Question 3

Leadership PACs are

Accepted Answer

A)  members of Congress who have previously served on the Parent's Advisory Council.
B)  interest groups that lobby Congress to provide more funding for "performing arts centers."
C)  organizations that members of Congress use to raise funds that they then distribute to other members of their party running for election.
D)  federally funded training academies that educate newly elected members of Congress on the norms of the House and Senate.

Question 4

A major risk of the delegate model of representation is that

Accepted Answer

A)  no new laws will be passed because all representatives must agree before a bill can be enacted.
B)  elected officials will spend too much time attempting to raise money for their next campaign because they must seek re-election so frequently.
C)  elected officials will completely ignore their constituents' preferences because they are following their own beliefs about which policies are best.
D)  the voices of only a few active and informed constituents will be heard because most people do not pay close attention to every issue.

Question 5

The "sophomore surge" refers to the

Accepted Answer

A)  fact that many members of Congress lose their re-election campaigns after their second terms in office.
B)  tendency for college students to intern with their local members of Congress during the summer between their sophomore and junior years in college.
C)  fact that most members of Congress leave office after serving only two years.
D)  tendency for candidates to win a higher percentage of the vote when seeking future terms in office.

Question 6

A member of the House of Representatives who helps a constituent apply for Social Security benefits is engaging in

Accepted Answer

A)  casework.
B)  corruption.
C)  earmarking.
D)  logrolling.

Question 7

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 8

A member of Congress who feels only loosely constrained by the policy preferences of his or her constituents and empowered to make the decisions he or she thinks best is acting as a

Accepted Answer

A)  trustee.
B)  delegate.
C)  lobbyist.
D)  policy entrepreneur.

Question 9

The first female Speaker of the House was

Accepted Answer

A)  Nancy Pelosi.
B)  Hillary Clinton.
C)  Jeanette Rankin.
D)  Sarah Palin.

Question 10

Which congressional staff agency assesses the economic implications and likely costs of proposed federal programs?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Government Accountability Office
B)  the Congressional Research Service
C)  the Congressional Budget Office
D)  the Office of Management and Budget C

Question 11

Organizational reforms instituted by Congress in the 1970s

Accepted Answer

A)  fragmented power by reducing the power of committee chairs.
B)  centralized power into the hands of party leaders.
C)  sped up legislation by reducing the number of committees to which a bill was referred.
D)  reduced the scrutiny of the media by closing hearings to the public.

Question 12

Which of the following statements best describes the difference between a congressional hearing and a congressional investigation?

Accepted Answer

A)  There are no important differences between a congressional hearing and a congressional investigation.
B)  Members of both the House and the Senate hold hearings, while members of a single chamber exclusively conduct an investigation.
C)  A hearing is held in order to analyze a specific bill that has already been proposed, while an investigation examines a broad problem and concludes with recommendations for a proposed bill.
D)  An investigation is held in order to analyze a specific bill that has already been proposed, while a hearing examines a broad problem and concludes with recommendations for a proposed bill. C

Question 13

The congressional practice of "ping pong" occurs when

Accepted Answer

A)  Congress passes a new version of a law that was previously struck down as unconstitutional by the federal judiciary.
B)  Congress passes a new version of a law that was previously vetoed by the president.
C)  there is a divided Congress and the House and Senate exchange amendments in order to reach agreement on the final version of a bill.
D)  a bill is passed in one house of Congress but not passed in the other.

Question 14

Which of the following statements best describes the representation of women and minorities in the U.S.Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)  Representation of women and minorities has decreased by one-third since the 1970s.
B)  Representation of women and minorities has increased during the past two decades but is not comparable to their proportions in the general population.
C)  Women are underrepresented in Congress, but there is a disproportionate representation of minorities in Congress.
D)  Since the mid-1990s, the number of women and minorities in Congress roughly reflects their proportions in the general population.

Question 15

Conference committees are

Accepted Answer

A)  permanent and involve members from both the House and the Senate.
B)  temporary and are created to take up an issue that falls between the jurisdiction of existing committees, to highlight an issue, or to investigate a particular problem.
C)  permanent and have the power to write and propose legislation.
D)  temporary, involve members from both houses of Congress, and are charged with reaching a compromise on legislation once it has been passed by both the House and the Senate.

Question 16

The so-called bridge to nowhere was important because it became a symbol of

Accepted Answer

A)  the problems with Congress's lack of racial diversity.
B)  the Supreme Court's increasing willingness to overturn acts of Congress.
C)  wasteful congressional spending through earmarks.
D)  the federal government's ability to effectively respond to infrastructure problems.

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

If a member of the House of Representatives won his or her first election with 52 percent of the vote and won his or her second election with 75 percent, it would be an example of the

Accepted Answer

A)  "second-election surprise."
B)  "rich get richer" effect.
C)  "sophomore surge."
D)  "incumbency increase."

Question 19

Describe how Congress exercises its checks and balances over the executive branch.Which chamber of Congress has more authority over the executive branch? Provide examples.How might partisanship help to diminish the exercise of congressional power over the presidency? Explain.

Accepted Answer

There are three components to this quest...

Question 20

The jurisdiction of standing committees

Accepted Answer

A)  is related to a specific geographic region.
B)  is defined by the subject matter of legislation, which often parallels the major cabinet departments or agencies.
C)  is determined by the different political parties.
D)  often overlaps with the jurisdiction of select committees. B

Exam 12: Congress

The president pro tempore of the Senate is usually

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Many interest groups produce "scorecards" that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Leadership PACs are

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A major risk of the delegate model of representation is that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The "sophomore surge" refers to the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A member of the House of Representatives who helps a constituent apply for Social Security benefits is engaging 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

A member of Congress who feels only loosely constrained by the policy preferences of his or her constituents and empowered to make the decisions he or she thinks best is acting as a

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The first female Speaker of the House was

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which congressional staff agency assesses the economic implications and likely costs of proposed federal programs?

Correct AnswerverifiedC

Organizational reforms instituted by Congress in the 1970s

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements best describes the difference between a congressional hearing and a congressional investigation?

Correct AnswerverifiedC

The congressional practice of "ping pong" occurs when

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements best describes the representation of women and minorities in the U.S.Congress?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Conference committees are

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The so-called bridge to nowhere was important because it became a symbol of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If a member of the House of Representatives won his or her first election with 52 percent of the vote and won his or her second election with 75 percent, it would be an example of the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Describe how Congress exercises its checks and balances over the executive branch.Which chamber of Congress has more authority over the executive branch? Provide examples.How might partisanship help to diminish the exercise of congressional power over the presidency? Explain.

Correct AnswerverifiedThere are three components to this quest...View AnswerShow Answer

The jurisdiction of standing committees

Correct AnswerverifiedB

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C

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C

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There are three components to this quest...
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B