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| 1788755658 | 1) Which of the following did the framers of the Constitution conceive of as the center of policymaking in America? A) the president B) the people C) Congress D) the courts E) the Supreme Court | C) Congress | 0 | |
| 1788755659 | 2) The foremost attraction for the job of serving in Congress is A) a salary four times the income of the typical American family. B) generous retirement benefits. C) the power to make key public policy decisions. D) travel benefits. E) employment opportunities after leaving office. | C) the power to make key public policy decisions | 1 | |
| 1788755660 | 3) Which of the following is NOT one of the perquisites which go with the job of being a member of Congress? A) a salary of over $150,000 B) subsidized housing in the Virginia or Maryland suburbs of D.C. C) free use of the mails to communicate with constituents D) free office space in Washington, D.C., and in the constituency from which elected E) a budget to support office staff | B) subsidized housing in the Virginia or Maryland suburbs of D.C | 2 | |
| 1788755662 | 4) ________ privileges refer to the free use of the mails enjoyed by Congress. A) Franking B) Conmail C) Junket D) Procurement E) E-mail | A) Franking | 3 | |
| 1788755663 | 5) The most prominent characteristic of a Congresspersonʹs job is A) prestige. B) hard work. C) high pay. D) travel. E) the 30-hour work week. | B) hard work | 4 | |
| 1788755664 | 6) A myth about members of Congress is that they A) generally are educated and come from high-status occupations. B) tend to develop policy specialties. C) are especially effective in carrying out their constituent service. D) are overpaid, underworked, corrupt, and ineffective. E) are overwhelmingly male. | D) are overpaid, underworked, corrupt, and ineffective | 5 | |
| 1788755665 | 7) The United States House of Representatives has ________ members. A) 638 B) 100 C) 435 D) 80 E) 535 | C) 435 | 6 | |
| 1788755667 | 8) The United States Senate has ________ members. A) 50 B) 100 C) 435 D) 438 E) 535 | B) 100 | 7 | |
| 1788755668 | 9) How many senators are elected from each state? A) one B) two C) four D) it depends on a stateʹs population E) the same number as it has electors in the electoral college | B) two | 8 | |
| 1788755669 | 10) Which of the following is TRUE about the minimum age requirements for members of Congress set forth in the Constitution? A) One must be at least 21 years of age to serve in the House of Representatives. B) One must be at least 30 years of age to serve in the Senate. C) One must be at least 35 years of age to serve in either the House or the Senate. D) There are no age requirements for members of Congress. E) The age requirements are the same for the House and the Senate. | B) One must be at least 30 years of age to serve in the Senate. | 9 | |
| 1788755670 | 11) The members of the Senate closely reflect the nation in terms of A) race. B) gender. C) economic status. D) prior occupation. E) none of the above | E) none of the above | 10 | |
| 1788755672 | 12) The income and occupations of members of Congress A) typically reflect the pluralistic nature of American society. B) are very close to the average found among their constituency. C) would, for the most part, make them members of the elite in American society. D) have no real impact on public policymaking. E) places over 90 percent of them in the millionaire businessperson class. | C Page Ref: 355-356 Edition: National | 11 | |
| 1788755673 | 13) African Americans constitute ________ of the United States Senate. A) less than 10 percent B) approximately 35 percent C) roughly half D) well over half E) about 20 percent | A) less than 10 percent | 12 | |
| 1788755674 | 14) In terms of religion, most members of Congress are A) Catholic. B) Jewish. C) Protestant. D) born-again Christians. E) atheists. | C) Protestant | 13 | |
| 1788755675 | 15) The most common prior occupation for members of Congress is A) business. B) law. C) education. D) public service. E) state legislator. | B) law | 14 | |
| 1788755677 | 16) Relative to the total population, the most underrepresented group in Congress is A) African Americans. B) Hispanics. C) women. D) Jews. E) homosexuals. | C Page Ref: 356 Edition: National | 15 | |
| 1788755678 | 17) Overall, members of Congress can ________ of the American people. A) possibly claim substantive representation, but not descriptive representation B) possibly claim descriptive representation, but not substantive representation C) claim both substantive and descriptive representation D) claim neither substantive nor descriptive representation E) possibly claim both substantive and descriptive representation | A Page Ref: 357 Edition: National | 16 | |
| 1788755679 | 18) Millionaire Senator Edward Kennedy sponsoring a bill to help the poor and disadvantaged would be an example of A) descriptive representation. B) substantive representation. C) elite representation. D) constituent representation. E) franking privileges. | B Page Ref: 357 Edition: National | 17 | |
| 1788755680 | 19) Incumbents are those A) already holding office. B) running for office for the first time. C) who have been defeated in an election. D) retired members of Congress. E) running for an office. | A Page Ref: 358 Edition: National | 18 | |
| 1788755682 | 20) In most congressional elections, challengers A) outspend an incumbent. B) win. C) are better known than incumbents. D) lose. E) spend roughly as much money as incumbents. | D Page Ref: 358 Edition: National | 19 | |
| 1788755683 | 21) The single most important advantage to someone trying to get elected to Congress is A) being an incumbent. B) having more money to spend on campaigning. C) being charismatic and photogenic. D) having a clean record. E) winning the endorsement of the top leaders of their party. | A Page Ref: 358 Edition: National | 20 | |
| 1788755684 | 22) Comparison between members of the House and Senate concerning the impact of incumbency on their reelection chances shows that one of the reasons that senators have a smaller advantage is because they A) have become over-specialized as policymakers. B) are more likely to be held accountable on controversial issues. C) are less visible. D) have longer terms that increase the chance of scandal. E) represent more homogenous constituencies. | B Page Ref: 358-359 Edition: National | 21 | |
| 1788755686 | 23) Reasons that incumbent senators have greater competition than incumbent members of the House include all of the following EXCEPT A) an entire state is more diverse than a congressional district, providing more of a base for opposition. B) senators have less personal contact with their constituencies. C) voters are less likely to know the issue positions of their senators than their representatives. D) senators tend to draw more visible challengers. E) senate challengers are better funded than House challengers. | C Page Ref: 358-359 Edition: National | 22 | |
| 1788755687 | 24) Which of these candidates would most likely get elected? A) a representative running for reelection B) a senator running for reelection C) an incumbent representative challenging a senator D) a challenger E) an incumbent | A Page Ref: 358-359 Edition: National | 23 | |
| 1788755688 | 25) Compared to members of the House, senators are A) more likely to have personal contact with their constituents. B) more likely to face difficult reelection opponents. C) less likely to face difficult reelection opponents. D) less likely to use television in their reelection campaigns. E) none of the above | B Page Ref: 358-359 Edition: National | 24 | |
| 1788755690 | 26) Studies have shown that presidential ________ in an election have little effect on the success of the partyʹs candidates for the House and Senate. A) coattails B) junkets C) vetoes D) headwinds E) scandals | A Page Ref: 359 Edition: National | 25 | |
| 1788755691 | 27) Which of the following is NOT one of the three primary activities that members of Congress engage in to increase the probability of their reelection? A) advertising B) credit-claiming C) position-taking D) oversight E) None of the above; oversight is a form of position-taking. | D Page Ref: 360-362 Edition: National | 26 | |
| 1788755692 | 28) An example of casework by a member of Congress is A) writing a newsletter to send out to constituents. B) helping a constituent gain citizenship. C) voting for a bill desired by constituents. D) working with a caucus on a public policy that affects his or her constituents. E) all of the above | B Page Ref: 361 Edition: National | 27 | |
| 1788755694 | 29) The pork barrel and casework are examples of A) opportunities for credit-claiming by members of Congress. B) advertising techniques. C) descriptive representation. D) position-taking. E) congressional continuity. | A Page Ref: 361 Edition: National | 28 | |
| 1788755695 | 30) An especially important asset for incumbents running for reelection is their A) service to constituents. B) voting records. C) support by party leaders in Congress. D) presidential support. E) invisibility. | A Page Ref: 360 Edition: National | 29 | |
| 1788755696 | 31) The ________ is the list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions which members of Congress seek to locate in their district to promote the interests of their constituency. A) casework B) pork barrel C) frank D) junket E) Treasurerʹs register | B Page Ref: 361 Edition: National | 30 | |
| 1788755698 | 32) Federal grants and contracts that members of Congress try to obtain for their constituents are collectively referred to as A) the pork barrel. B) casework. C) public service. D) perquisites. E) affirmative action. | A Page Ref: 361 Edition: National | 31 | |
| 1788755699 | 33) Members of Congress engage in each of the following activities that increase the probability of their reelections EXCEPT A) advertising. B) party voting. C) credit-claiming. D) position taking. E) spend much of their time away from Congress and in their home districts. | B Page Ref: 360-362 Edition: National | 32 | |
| 1788755700 | 34) What accounts for the success of congressional candidates? A) their highly representative policy positions B) presidential coattails C) economic forces D) advertising, credit-claiming, and position-taking. E) good looks | D Page Ref: 360-361 Edition: National | 33 | |
| 1788755702 | 35) Which of the following is NOT true about incumbents? A) They usually win elections. B) They usually have more money than their challengers. C) They usually have higher name recognition and visibility than their opponents. D) They usually face very tough challengers, especially in races for the House. E) They usually have their partyʹs endorsement. | D Page Ref: 358-359 Edition: National | 34 | |
| 1788755703 | 36) Which of the following statements about those who challenge incumbent members of the House is TRUE? A) They are usually not well-known. B) They are usually experienced legislators. C) They usually have a well-established organizational backing. D) They tend to be well-financed. E) They usually conduct public opinion polls and only run if they have a good chance of winning. | A Page Ref: 358-359 Edition: National | 35 | |
| 1788755704 | 37) In the House races of 2004, the typical incumbent outspent the typical challenger by A) 2 to 1. B) 4 to 1. C) 6 to 1. D) 15 to 1. E) 20 to 1. | D Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 36 | |
| 1788755706 | 38) Which of the following statements about money in Congressional elections is FALSE? A) It costs more money to elect a president than to elect a member of Congress. B) Most of the money spent in congressional elections comes from individuals. C) About a quarter of the funds raised in general election contests come from PACs. D) Political Action Committees often make contributions after the election. E) PACs often switch sides and give money to the candidate they originally opposed. | A Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 37 | |
| 1788755707 | 39) The role of party identification in votersʹ choices in congressional campaigns is A) extremely important, and increasingly so. B) moderately important, even though party identification is not as strong as it used to be. C) slightly important in a few districts, not important in most others. D) not important at all, and never really has been. E) much less significant than in presidential campaigns. | B Page Ref: 363 Edition: National | 38 | |
| 1788755708 | 40) Party loyalty at the voting booth is A) stronger than it was a generation ago. B) no longer a good indication of voting behavior. C) still a good predictor of voting behavior. D) almost nonexistent today. E) greater among Democrats than among Republicans. | C Page Ref: 363 Edition: National | 39 | |
| 1788755709 | 41) House incumbents typically receive A) about the same amount of contributions from PACs as challengers. B) less from PACs than challengers. C) much more from PACs as challengers. D) generous support from their party campaign committees. E) none of the above. | D Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 40 | |
| 1788755711 | 42) On average, most of the money raised by a candidate for Congress comes from A) political parties. B) individual contributions. C) the candidateʹs own savings. D) Political Action Committees. E) loans. | B Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 41 | |
| 1788755712 | 43) A single Political Action Committee A) has no limit on the amount of money it can spend on a candidate. B) can at most account for only a small percentage of a winnerʹs total spending. C) usually puts all its efforts into one candidate. D) can gain the most influence by giving money to candidates who disagree with them. E) can make or break a candidate in a particularly close congressional election. | B Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 42 | |
| 1788755713 | 44) When Political Action Committees contribute money to members of Congress they are usually seeking A) access to policymakers. B) votes on specific legislation. C) to install a preferred challenger in office. D) to create a more pluralistic Congress. E) to literally buy opposing legislatorsʹ votes. | A Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 43 | |
| 1788755715 | 45) Which of the following statements about the role of money in congressional elections is FALSE? A) Outspending your opponent by a large margin is no guarantee of success. B) The more challengers spend, the more votes they receive. C) Challengers usually outspend incumbents. D) In open seats, the candidate who spends the most usually wins. E) Incumbents benefit less from campaign spending than challengers. | C Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 44 | |
| 1788755716 | 46) All of the following may increase the likelihood that an incumbent is defeated EXCEPT A) national political ʺtidal waves.ʺ B) redistricting. C) campaign funding. D) scandals. E) a strong challenger. | C Page Ref: 363-364 Edition: National | 45 | |
| 1788755717 | 47) After each federal census, A) the office of the Speaker of the House changes hands. B) the size of Congress increases. C) the membership of the House is reapportioned D) the Senate reapportions its membership. E) all of the above | C Page Ref: 363 Edition: National | 46 | |
| 1788755719 | 48) Occasionally, a major political tidal wave rolls across the country and throws large numbers of incumbents of a given party out of office. When did this last occur? A) 1994 B) 1980 C) 1974 D) 1964 E) 1954 | A Page Ref: 364 Edition: National | 47 | |
| 1788755720 | 49) Which of the following statements about Congress is FALSE? A) Congress is a collection of generalists trying to make policy on specialized topics. B) Members of Congress are surrounded by people who know (or claim to know) more than they do. C) Members of Congress are often unsure of what is being voted on when a roll-call vote is called. D) Members frequently ask their colleagues how to vote. E) none of the above | E Page Ref: 363-364 Edition: National | 48 | |
| 1788755721 | 50) Nebraskaʹs legislature is the only one in the United States that is NOT A) elected by the voters. B) unicameral. C) bicameral. D) tricameral. E) under term limits. | C Page Ref: 364 Edition: National | 49 | |
| 1788755723 | 51) Bicameralism means that a legislative body is one A) with two houses, providing checks and balances on policymaking. B) in which each state has two senators, providing equal representation of the states. C) in which incumbents have a better chance of being reelected, providing continuity in policymaking. D) that must share power with a president, providing more efficient policymaking. E) in which there are only two political parties. | A Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 50 | |
| 1788755724 | 52) To be sent to the president, a bill must be passed by A) the House. B) the Senate. C) either the House or the Senate. D) both the House and the Senate. E) a majority vote of Congress, regardless of which house the votes come from. | D Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 51 | |
| 1788755725 | 53) The House ________ Committee reviews most bills coming from other committees before they go on to the full House, thus performing a traffic cop function. A) Appropriations B) Ways and Means C) Rules D) Authorization E) Review | C Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 52 | |
| 1788755727 | 54) Articles of impeachment must be passed by A) either the House or the Senate. B) both the House and the Senate. C) the Senate. D) the House. E) the Supreme Court. | D Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 53 | |
| 1788755728 | 55) House seats are up for election every A) two years. B) four years. C) six years. D) eight years. E) five years. | A Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 54 | |
| 1788755729 | 56) A Senate seat is up for election every A) two years. B) four years. C) six years. D) eight years. E) five years. | C Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 55 | |
| 1788755730 | 57) Which of the following is TRUE about the Senate as compared to the House? A) more centralized with stronger leadership B) seniority more important in determining power C) more influential on the budget D) more influential in foreign affairs E) smaller in number, less powerful and less prestigious | D Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 56 | |
| 1788755732 | 58) According to the Constitution, revenue bills must originate in the A) Internal Revenue Service. B) Federal Reserve System. C) House. D) Senate. E) Treasury Department. | C Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 57 | |
| 1788755733 | 59) Nominees to the United States Supreme Court must be confirmed by A) the Senate. B) the House. C) either the House or the Senate. D) both the House and the Senate. E) the president. | A Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 58 | |
| 1788755734 | 60) According to the Constitution, once impeached, federal officials are then tried in the A) Supreme Court. B) House. C) Senate. D) Department of Justice. E) United States District Court for the District of Columbia. | C Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 59 | |
| 1788755735 | 61) The House Rules Committee A) has its members appointed by the House majority leader. B) is similar to the Senate Rules Committee. C) usually retains independence from the House leadership. D) reviews most bills coming from committee before they go to the full House. E) all of the above | D Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 60 | |
| 1788755737 | 62) The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to A) initiate all revenue bills. B) ratify all treaties. C) confirm presidential nominations. D) try impeached officials. E) all of the above | A Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 61 | |
| 1788755738 | 63) One of the key differences between the House and Senate is that the House A) has weaker leadership. B) is more influential on foreign affairs. C) has more policy specialization. D) is less centralized. E) is less institutionalized. | C Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 62 | |
| 1788755739 | 64) One of the key differences between the House and Senate is that the Senate A) is more centralized. B) is less dependent on seniority for determining power. C) has a lower turnover rate. D) has stronger leadership. E) has more anarchy. | B Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 63 | |
| 1788755740 | 65) The real differences between the House and the Senate lie in their A) ideology. B) membersʹ characteristics. C) organization and centralization of power. D) role in policy. E) power relative to each other. | C Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 64 | |
| 1788755742 | 66) The filibuster A) is unique to the Senate. B) is unique to the House. C) is allowed in both the House and the Senate. D) has been ruled unconstitutional. E) has been prohibited in both the House and Senate. | A Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 65 | |
| 1788755743 | 67) ________ members present and voting can halt a filibuster by voting for cloture. A) Sixty B) Seventy C) Eighty D) Fifty-one E) Seventy-five | A Page Ref: 366-367 Edition: National | 66 | |
| 1788755744 | 68) The filibuster is a technique used in the A) House to delay legislation until a full House can convene. B) Senate to prolong debate in order to kill a bill. C) Senate to bypass committees in voting on controversial issues. D) House to allow more time to debate controversial policies. E) House and Senate to prevent a vote on a bill. | B Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 67 | |
| 1788755745 | 69) To cut off debate and end a filibuster is known as A) franking. B) coattails. C) cloture. D) overriding. E) hushing. | C Page Ref: 366-367 Edition: National | 68 | |
| 1788755747 | 70) To end a filibuster requires ________ members present and voting to cut off debate. A) 50 B) 60 C) 75 D) 99 E) 218 | B Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 69 | |
| 1788755748 | 71) Which of the following congressional offices is mandated by the Constitution? A) Speaker of the House B) House and Senate Majority Leader C) President of the House D) President of the United States E) all of the above | A Page Ref: 367 Edition: National | 70 | |
| 1788755749 | 72) Which of the following does the Speaker NOT play a role in? A) making committee assignments B) presiding over the House when it is in session C) recommending which members should be expelled from the House for failure to support the partyʹs positions on bills D) assigning most bills to committees E) appointing the partyʹs legislative leaders | C Page Ref: 367 Edition: National | 71 | |
| 1788755751 | 73) The ________ is next in line after the vice president to succeed a president who resigns, dies in office, or is impeached. A) Senate majority leader B) Senate minority leader C) House majority leader D) Speaker of the House E) Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | D Page Ref: 367 Edition: National | 72 | |
| 1788755752 | 74) The minority whip A) assists the majority leader in party-line votes. B) becomes the Speaker automatically if the Speaker resigns. C) represents African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans in each chamber of Congress. D) keeps a close head count on key votes, and attempts to keep party members in line. E) is used to punish members who do not vote with the rest of their party. | D Page Ref: 368 Edition: National | 73 | |
| 1788755753 | 75) Which of the following statements about the majority leader of the House of Representatives is FALSE? A) The majority leader exercises substantial control over which bills get assigned to which committees. B) The majority leader is the main steppingstone to the job of Speaker of the House. C) The majority leader is responsible for scheduling bills in the House. D) The majority leader is responsible for rounding up votes on behalf of the partyʹs position on legislation. E) He or she is the principal ally of the Speaker. | A Page Ref: 368 Edition: National | 74 | |
| 1788755755 | 76) The ________ has the job of presiding over the Senate, breaking ties when necessary. A) majority leader B) majority whip C) minority leader D) vice president E) Speaker | D Page Ref: 368 Edition: National | 75 | |
| 1788755756 | 77) The most powerful person in the Senate is the A) majority leader. B) vice president of the United States, who serves as president of the Senate. C) chair of the Rules Committee. D) Speaker. E) president of the United States. | A Page Ref: 368 Edition: National | 76 | |
| 1788755757 | 78) Most important congressional activity is done A) on legislatorsʹ visits to their home districts. B) in meetings of standing committees and their subcommittees. C) on the House floor. D) on the Senate floor. E) in the White House. | B Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 77 | |
| 1788755758 | 79) Most of the business of Congress takes place A) in congressional districts. B) on the floor of the House and Senate. C) in committees and subcommittees. D) during evening social functions. E) in the Rules committees. | C Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 78 | |
| 1788755760 | 80) A ________ committee is one appointed for a limited, specific purpose, such as that set up to investigate the Watergate scandal. A) standing B) select C) conference D) joint E) special | B Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 79 | |
| 1788755761 | 81) Appropriations, Judiciary, and Armed Forces are all examples of ________ committees. A) standing B) select C) conference D) joint E) rule | A Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 80 | |
| 1788755762 | 82) When the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill A) the House bill is changed to conform with the Senate bill. B) the Senate bill is changed to conform with the House bill. C) a conference committee is appointed to resolve differences. D) a joint committee is appointed to resolve differences. E) the president may select which bill to enact into law. | C Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 81 | |
| 1788755764 | 83) Legislative ________ is the process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy. A) franking B) stonewalling C) overview D) oversight E) supremacy | D Page Ref: 371 Edition: National | 82 | |
| 1788755765 | 84) When members of Congress hold a hearing to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, they are engaging in A) agenda-setting. B) filibustering. C) legislative oversight. D) casework. E) congressional administration. | C Page Ref: 371 Edition: National | 83 | |
| 1788755766 | 85) Which of the following statements about congressional committees is FALSE? A) Unless a committee gives a bill a favorable report it almost never can be considered by the full House or Senate. B) The most important output of the committee is the marked up bill. C) Members of the committee usually serve as floor managers of the bill. D) Members of the committee act as cue-givers to whom other members turn for advice. E) none of the above | E Page Ref: 369-372 Edition: National | 84 | |
| 1788755768 | 86) The seniority system gave a decisive edge to House members from ________ districts. A) Republican B) suburban C) older D) safe E) competitive | D Page Ref: 373 Edition: National | 85 | |
| 1788755769 | 87) House and Senate committees A) all have an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. B) all have a majority of members from the majority party in that chamber. C) must have their membership approved by the president. D) are non-partisan, and thus some committees are nearly all Democrats and others nearly all Republicans. E) are populated by the hired staff members of Congress, freeing the elected members for more important work. | B Page Ref: 373 Edition: National | 86 | |
| 1788755770 | 88) Members of Congress seek committees that will help them achieve each of the following goals EXCEPT A) reelection. B) influence in Congress. C) a salary increase. D) opportunity to make policy in areas they think are important. E) opportunity to make policy in areas important to their constituents. | C Page Ref: 373 Edition: National | 87 | |
| 1788755772 | 89) Traditionally, Congressional committee chairpersons have been chosen through A) the seniority system. B) party rank. C) popularity with majority leaders. D) a majority vote by committee members. E) the merit system. | A Page Ref: 373 Edition: National | 88 | |
| 1788755773 | 90) Members of Congress who informally band together in groups to promote and protect mutual interests (e.g., mushroom growers) form what are called A) subcommittees. B) committees. C) caucuses. D) junkets. E) interest groups. | C Page Ref: 374 Edition: National | 89 | |
| 1788755774 | 91) Caucuses in Congress A) press committees to hold hearings. B) push their preferred legislation. C) mobilize votes for favored legislation. D) all of the above E) none of the above | D Page Ref: 374 Edition: National | 90 | |
| 1788755775 | 92) Congressional reforms of the 1970s A) professionalized the operation of Congress and made it much more efficient. B) decentralized power and democratized Congress. C) were aimed at rooting out scandal and corruption. D) ended the two-party monopoly of Congress and brought new parties into Congress. E) all of the above | B Page Ref: 373 Edition: National | 91 | |
| 1788755777 | 93) Republican congressional reforms in the 1990s included all of the following EXCEPT A) committee chairs were allowed to choose the chairs of subcommittees on their committees. B) both committee and subcommittee chairs were limited to three consecutive two-year terms as chair. C) some subcommittees were eliminated. D) committee chairs were given complete control over the timing of bills under consideration. E) none of the above | D Page Ref: 373-374 Edition: National | 92 | |
| 1788755778 | 94) Which of the following is responsible for responding to congressional requests for information and providing non-partisan studies? A) Congressional Research Service B) Congressional Budget Office C) General Accounting Office D) Ways and Means Committee E) Office of the Majority Leader | A Page Ref: 376 Edition: National | 93 | |
| 1788755779 | 95) Committee staff is responsible for all of the following EXCEPT A) providing services to constituents. B) organizing hearings. C) writing legislation. D) monitoring the executive branch. E) coordinating with congressional offices. | A Page Ref: 376 Edition: National | 94 | |
| 1788755781 | 96) Which of the following offices is responsible for making economic projections about the performance of the economy, the costs of proposed policies, and the economic effects of taxing and spending alternatives? A) Congressional Research Service B) Congressional Budget Office C) General Accounting Office D) Ways and Means Committee E) Federal Reserve | B Page Ref: 378 Edition: National | 95 | |
| 1788755782 | 97) Only ________ can formally submit a bill for congressional consideration. A) members of the House B) senators C) members of the House or senators D) the president E) the Speaker of the House | C Page Ref: 378 Edition: National | 96 | |
| 1788755783 | 98) Most bills formally submitted for consideration in Congress A) are passed and signed into law. B) are passed, but vetoed by the president. C) are defeated in close final votes on the floors of one chamber. D) are quietly killed off early in the process. E) pass one house, but are killed in the other house. | D Page Ref: 378 Edition: National | 97 | |
| 1788755785 | 99) Basically, Congress is a(n) ________ decision-making body. A) reactive and cumbersome B) active and smooth C) unified and consistent D) radical and hasty E) retroactive | A Page Ref: 378 Edition: National | 98 | |
| 1788755786 | 100) The presidentʹs most common method of attempting to influence Congress is to A) call up wavering members. B) offer to campaign for members. C) hold regular meetings with the partyʹs leaders in Congress. D) invite members of Congress to the White House. E) use the veto power. | C Page Ref: 379 Edition: National | 99 | |
| 1788755787 | 101) Presidential leadership of Congress in promoting the chief executiveʹs programs is A) dominant, with a heavy hand usually convincing wavering members. B) a smooth, generally successful enterprise. C) at the margins, as a facilitator. D) nonexistent. E) proactive, substantive, and adversarial. | C Page Ref: 379 Edition: National | 100 | |
| 1788755788 | 102) The parties in Congress are most cohesive A) on foreign policy issues. B) when electing their official leaders. C) on economic policy. D) military matters. E) during floor votes. | B Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 101 | |
| 1788755790 | 103) The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke favored the concept of legislators as ________, using their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people. A) constituent robots B) trustees C) instructed delegates D) politicos E) judges | B Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 102 | |
| 1788755791 | 104) Some prefer the concept of legislators as ________, mirroring the preferences of their constituents. A) trustees B) politicos C) instructed delegates D) uninstructed delegates E) pollsters | C Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 103 | |
| 1788755792 | 105) The best way constituents can influence congressional voting on legislation is to A) sign petitions. B) write letters or send telegrams. C) fax or call in their opinions. D) elect a representative or senator who agrees with their views. E) demonstrate on the steps of the capitol. | D Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 104 | |
| 1788755794 | 106) On a typical issue, the primary determinant of a congressional memberʹs vote is A) constituent preferences as indicated by extensive polling. B) the position of the president. C) personal ideology. D) the toss of a coin. E) the position of their party leaders. | C Page Ref: 382 Edition: National | 105 | |
| 1788755795 | 107) Legislators who use their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people are called A) trustees. B) instructed delegates. C) politicos. D) attentive leaders. E) opinion leaders. | A Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 106 | |
| 1788755796 | 108) Most members of Congress would be considered A) trustees. B) instructed delegates. C) politicos. D) ambassadors. E) attentive leaders. | C Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 107 | |
| 1788755797 | 109) Constituencies influence policy mostly by A) the initial choice of the representative. B) influencing congressional leaders. C) empowering the president in his negotiations with Congress. D) buying votes through election contributions. E) lobbying Senators. | A Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 108 | |
| 1788755799 | 110) Which of the following statements about constituency influence is FALSE? A) It is difficult even for well-intentioned legislators to know what people want. B) Legislators whose votes on routine issues are out of step with their constituents are rarely reelected. C) On some controversial issues, legislators ignore constituent opinion at great peril. D) On obscure issues legislators can safely ignore constituency opinion. E) Letters received by legislators are more likely to convey extremist rather than moderate opinions. | B Page Ref: 380; 382 Edition: National | 109 | |
| 1788755800 | 111) In the relationship between lobbyists and members of Congress, A) members of Congress can ignore and embarrass lobbyists. B) lobbyists hold the greater power. C) members of Congress depend on lobbyists for reelection. D) lobbyists pay members of Congress to pass or defeat bills. E) lobbyists spend most of their efforts on converting opponents to their cause. | A Page Ref: 382-383 Edition: National | 110 | |
| 1788755801 | 112) If Congress has increased the scope of government it is because A) members typically suffer from Potomac fever. B) members are by-spending liberals. C) that is what constituencies want. D) that is what Congressional staffers want. E) it is responding to the policy expertise provided by the bureaucracy. | C Page Ref: 384-385 Edition: National True/False Questions | 111 | |
| 1788755802 | 1) The typical member of the House of Representatives serves on six committees and subcommittees, the typical senator is a member of ten committees. | TRUE Page Ref: 354 Edition: National | 112 | |
| 1788755804 | 2) It is difficult for Congress to get anything done. | TRUE Page Ref: 354 Edition: National | 113 | |
| 1788755805 | 3) To serve in the United States Senate one must be at least thirty years old. | TRUE Page Ref: 355 Edition: National | 114 | |
| 1788755806 | 4) Most members of Congress are Protestants. | TRUE Page Ref: 356 Edition: National | 115 | |
| 1788755807 | 5) House incumbents tend to be more vulnerable in election contests than Senate incumbents. | FALSE Page Ref: 358 Edition: National | 116 | |
| 1788755808 | 6) More than 90 percent of the incumbents in the House of Representatives seeking reelection win. | TRUE Page Ref: 358 Edition: National | 117 | |
| 1788755809 | 7) Only about 20 percent of Americans can accurately guess how their representative voted on an issue in Congress. | TRUE Page Ref: 359 Edition: National | 118 | |
| 1788755810 | 8) Members of Congress are not substantially affected in their reelection bids by the ups and downs of the economy. | TRUE Page Ref: 360 Edition: National | 119 | |
| 1788755811 | 9) Most congressional advertising takes place between elections and takes the form of contact with constituents. | TRUE Page Ref: 360 Edition: National | 120 | |
| 1788755813 | 10) In congressional elections, challengers receive more PAC money than incumbents. | FALSE Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 121 | |
| 1788755814 | 11) PACs often make contributions AFTER elections | TRUE Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 122 | |
| 1788755815 | 12) Most PACs give less than the $5,000 limit to candidates. | TRUE Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 123 | |
| 1788755816 | 13) In open races, candidates who spend the most usually win. | TRUE Page Ref: 362 Edition: National | 124 | |
| 1788755817 | 14) The Congress is a unicameral legislature. | FALSE Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 125 | |
| 1788755818 | 15) The House of Representatives is more institutionalized, centralized, and hierarchical than the Senate. | TRUE Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 126 | |
| 1788755819 | 16) Filibusters occur in the Senate, but not the House. | TRUE Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 127 | |
| 1788755820 | 17) Sixty senators present and voting can halt a filibuster by voting for cloture on debate. | TRUE Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 128 | |
| 1788755822 | 18) If a bill passes both the House and the Senate, but in different forms, it goes to a joint committee. | FALSE Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 129 | |
| 1788755823 | 19) Select committees have membership drawn from both houses of Congress. | FALSE Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 130 | |
| 1788755824 | 20) The House still strictly follows the seniority system, wherein the majority party member of the committee who has served the longest automatically serves as chair. | FALSE Page Ref: 373 Edition: National | 131 | |
| 1788755825 | 21) Congress is less likely to exercise its oversight powers when it is controlled by the presidentʹs party. | TRUE Page Ref: 371 Edition: National | 132 | |
| 1788755826 | 22) The explosion of caucuses in Congress has made the representation of interest groups in Congress a more direct process. | TRUE Page Ref: 375 Edition: National | 133 | |
| 1788755827 | 23) As part of the congressional reforms of the 1970s, Congress substantially decreased its oversight activities. | FALSE Page Ref: 372 Edition: National | 134 | |
| 1788755828 | 24) In voting on bills in Congress, differences between the parties are sharpest on questions of social welfare and economic policy. | TRUE Page Ref: 380 Edition: National | 135 | |
| 1788755829 | 25) The strongest influence on how a member of the House of Representatives will vote is his or her party leadership. | FALSE Page Ref: 381;382 Edition: National 529 | 136 | |
| 1788755830 | 26) Because most issues are controversial to their constituents back home, legislators seldom cast votes based on their own ideology as the prime determinant. | FALSE Page Ref: 382 Edition: National Short Answer Questions | 137 | |
| 1788755831 | 1) What are franking privileges, and why are they sometimes controversial? | the free use of the mail system to communicate with constituents Page Ref: 354 Edition: National | 138 | |
| 1788755832 | 2) A senator must be at least ________ years of age, a member of the House at least ________. | 30: 25 Page Ref: 355 Edition: National | 139 | |
| 1788755833 | 3) What is the dominant prior occupation for members of Congress? | law Page Ref: 356 Edition: National | 140 | |
| 1788755834 | 4) The single most important fact about congressional elections is that ________. | incumbents usually win Page Ref: 358 Edition: National | 141 | |
| 1788755835 | 5) Members of Congress helping constituents as individuals by cutting through some bureaucratic red tape is known as ________. | casework Page Ref: 361 Edition: National | 142 | |
| 1788755836 | 6) Compare and contrast casework and pork barrel. | Casework includes activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals, such as cutting through bureaucratic red tape. Pork barrel includes the list of federal projects, grants and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges and institutions available in a congressional district. Page Ref: 361 Edition: National | 143 | |
| 1788755838 | 7) Why, according to Fiorina, is credit-claiming more effective than position-taking for incumbents? | Answers will vary. Page Ref: 360 Edition: National | 144 | |
| 1788755839 | 8) What is the role of party identification in congressional elections? | Although party loyalty at the voting booth is not as strong as it was a generation ago, it is still a good predictor of voting behavior, with nearly 90 percent of voters who identify with a party voting for the House candidate of their party. Page Ref: 363 Edition: National | 145 | |
| 1788755840 | 9) To increase change in the membership of Congress, several states enacted ________ in the 1980s. | term limitations Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 146 | |
| 1788755841 | 10) What are the arguments for and against congressional term limitations? | Answers will vary. Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 147 | |
| 1788755842 | 11) What are the functions of the House Rules Committee? | gives each bill a rule that determines when the bill gets on the calendar, allows time for debate and sometimes specifies the kind of amendments that may be offered Page Ref: 365 Edition: National | 148 | |
| 1788755843 | 12) A(n) ________ consists of tying up the legislative agenda with continuous speeches on the floor so a bill you oppose cannot come to a vote. | filibuster Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 149 | |
| 1788755844 | 13) What is a filibuster, and how is it used? | a strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate Page Ref: 366 Edition: National | 150 | |
| 1788755846 | 14) Compare and contrast the roles of majority leader, minority leader, and party whips. | The majority leader is the principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or the partyʹs manager in the Senate. The minority leader is the principal leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives or in the Senate. Whips are party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party. Page Ref: 368 Edition: National | 151 | |
| 1788755847 | 15) ________ are formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. | Conference committees Page Ref: 369 Edition: National | 152 | |
| 1788755848 | 16) ________ gives Congress the power to pressure executive branch agencies and secure compliance with congressional wishes. | Oversight Page Ref: 371 Edition: National | 153 | |
| 1788755849 | 17) How does Congress perform its oversight function? | Answers will vary. Page Ref: 371 Edition: National | 154 | |
| 1788755850 | 18) What is the seniority system, and how has it changed over the years? | Answers will vary. Page Ref: 373-374 Edition: National | 155 | |
| 1788755851 | 19) An informal grouping of members of Congress who band together sharing some interest or characteristic is called a(n) ________, and there are over 100 such groups. | caucus Page Ref: 374 Edition: National | 156 | |
| 1788755852 | 20) Describe the relative size of personal staff, as opposed to committee staff and staff agencies. What does personal staff generally devote their time to? | Answers will vary. Page Ref: 375-376; 378 Edition: National | 157 | |
| 1788755854 | 21) The ________ responds to congressional requests for information, and provides members with nonpartisan research. | Congressional Research Service Page Ref: 376 Edition: National | 158 | |
| 1788755855 | 22) The ________ reviews the activities of the executive branch to see if it is following the congressional intent of laws, and investigates the efficiency and effectiveness of policy implementation. | General Accountability Office Page Ref: 375 Edition: National | 159 | |
| 1788755856 | 23) What is the difference between the role of legislators as trustees, instructed delegates, and politicos? | Trustees use their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people, while instructed delegates mirror the preferences of their constituents and politicos adopt both trustee and instructed delegate roles as they strive to be both representatives and policymakers. Page Ref: 380 Edition: National Essay Questions | 160 |
