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Q:
How do you end debate on a bill in the Senate before everyone is ready to do so?
A.with a three-fifths vote of all House members
B.with a discharge petition
C.with a cloture motion
D.through senatorial privilege
E.a filibuster cannot be stopped, which is why they are so powerful
Q:
Approximately how many bills are introduced in a modern congressional session?
A.2,500
B.5,000
C.10,000
D.50,000
E.100,000
Q:
A congressional committee that is typically a permanent investigative body is known as
A.standing committee.
B.conference committee.
C.select committee.
D.joint committee.
E.de facto committee.
Q:
Which of the following is not true regarding the profile of Congress members?
A.They are better educated than the average citizen.
B.They are older than the average citizen.
C.They are wealthier than the average citizen.
D.They are younger than the average citizen.
E.None of the above.
Q:
Which demographic group is least represented in Congress?A.maleB.femaleC.African-AmericanD.HispanicE.millionaires
Q:
There are ______________ members of Congress with full voting privileges.
A.100
B.435
C.485
D.515
E.535
Q:
What is the role of a conference committee?
A.To set the congressional agenda.
B.To ensure ethical behavior by members of Congress.
C.To hear testimony from citizens and interest groups.
D.To reach a compromise on a bill after both chambers have passed similar versions.
E.To reach a compromise on a bill after is has been referred from standing committees and before it is referred to a select committee.
Q:
The Senate has the sole power to
A.declare war.
B.approve major presidential appointments.
C.regulate the District of Columbia.
D.issue patents and copyrights.
E.establish post offices and post roads.
Q:
Every _______ years, ______ of the Senate is up for re-election.
A.two/one-quarter
B.two/one-third
C.six/one-third
D.six/one-half
E.six/three-quarters
Q:
State legislatures lost their control over the selection of senators when the _______ Amendment was ratified in 1913.
A.Fifteenth
B.Seventeenth
C.Nineteenth
D.Twenty-First
E.Twenty-Third
Q:
Apportionment and redistricting typically occur every
A.two years.
B.four years.
C.six years.
D.eight years.
E.10 years.
Q:
The U.S. Congress
A.is nonpartisan.
B.is unicameral.
C.is bicameral.
D.is elected by state legislators.
E.is charged with interpreting law.
Q:
The structure of the legislative branch of government is described by _________ of the Constitution.
A.Article I
B.Article II
C.Article III
D.Article IV
E.Article V
Q:
The first woman to be speaker of the U.S. House is
A.Shirley Chisholm.
B.Kay Bailey Hutchinson.
C.Nancy Pelosi.
D.Olympia Snow.
E.Dianne Feinstein.
Q:
Members of Congress often secure federal funds through a process of amending pending legislation. Their goal is to support specific projects for their states and districts that will yield jobs, benefits, or other opportunities for a particular region. This procedure is often referred to as
A.patronage.
B.casework.
C.lobbying.
D.congressional oversight.
E.pork-barrel legislation.
Q:
What role does the Senate play in the impeachment and/or removal of the president or federal judges from office?
A.The Senate has sole power to initiate impeachment proceedings, but these do not automatically remove the individual from office.
B.The Senate has the power to try and remove the individual from office after the House has charged the person with an offense.
C.The Senate is the only chamber with power to impeach, try, and remove the official.
D.Both chambers of Congress have equal power in the impeachment process.
E.The Senate does not have a role in impeachment and/or removal proceedings.
Q:
What role does the House of Representatives play in the impeachment and/or removal of the president or federal judges from office?
A.The House may bring formal impeachment charges against the individual, but such charges do not automatically remove the official from office.
B.Only the House of Representatives may vote to remove the official from office.
C.The House of Representatives has sole responsibility to both impeach and remove the official.
D.The House of Representatives can only recommend actions to the Senate.
E.The House of Representatives does not have a role in impeachment and/or removal proceedings.
Q:
In keeping with the U.S. Constitution and regarding Article II, on how many occasions has the House of Representatives chosen the president following a close or disputed election?
A.never
B.one
C.three
D.10
E.15
Q:
What role does the U.S. Senate play in the appointment of Supreme Court justices?
A.The Senate selects and appoints Supreme Court justices.
B.The Senate appoints, and the president must then confirm, all nominations to the Court.
C.The president appoints all Supreme Court justices but they may not assume the position unless and until they are confirmed by the Senate.
D.The Senate appoints a committee to present the president with a candidate that he/she must nominate.
E.The Senate has no role in the process.
Q:
The U.S. Senate plays a pivotal role in the selection of cabinet officers and federal judges. What is this role?
A.The Senate recommends all appointees to the president.
B.Each senator must be consulted by the president during the confirmation process.
C.The president is required to appoint any candidate recommended by the Senate.
D.The president chooses the appointee but the Senate must confirm that appointment before the candidate assumes the office.
E.The Senate recommends the nominee and the president confirms the appointment.
Q:
If the president vetoes a bill passed by Congress, then Congress may in turn check presidential power by overriding the veto. What is the threshold that Congress needs to be successful with the override?
A.a simple majority of either chamber
B.a simple majority of both chambers
C.a two-thirds majority in both chambers
D.a two-thirds majority in only one chamber
E.a three-fourths majority in both chambers
Q:
The president may refuse to act upon or sign a bill with which he/she is opposed. If Congress passes a bill and sends it to the president within 10 days of the end of a congressional session and the president does not act on the bill, then the bill does not become law. This procedure is known as
A.the pocket veto.
B.a presidential override.
C.a filibuster.
D.cloture.
E.presidential oversight.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a role of the president in the process of enacting a bill into law?
A.The president may recommend legislation to members of Congress.
B.The president may attempt to strongly influence the votes of members of Congress.
C.The president may cast a vote to break a tie in either chamber of Congress.
D.The president may use the national media to lobby publicly for passage, or defeat, of the bill.
E.The president may openly state great displeasure with the outcome of the bill.
Q:
A U.S. House of Representatives member may occasionally vote a certain way on one bill in exchange for a favorable vote on another bill. This process as known as
A.logrolling.
B.cloture.
C.gerrymandering.
D.lobbying.
E.overriding a veto.
Q:
When the U.S. Senate enters into endless debate as a procedural tactic to block a vote on the Senate floor, other senators may call for a(n) _____ vote, which immediately ends debate and forces a vote on the issue.
A.filibuster
B.cloture
C.closed rule
D.open rule
E.censure
Q:
In the U.S. Senate there are often no rules limiting debate on a bill as it comes to the floor. Just one senator could try to block a bill from passage by refusing to end discussion. This procedure is known as
A.cloture.
B.open rule.
C.a filibuster.
D.tabling.
E.flanking.
Q:
As a bill comes to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote it passes through the Rules Committee. A bill that is presented to the floor with a closed rule means
A.that House members may vote only once on the bill.
B.that only members of the majority party may vote on the bill.
C.that House members are severely limited in their ability to amend the bill.
D.that House members may offer amendments to the bill.
E.that the president cannot veto the bill.
Q:
Congressional agencies such as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) are designed to
A.recommend legislation to the leaders of Congress.
B.critique Congress.
C.provide objective information for use in formulating policy.
D.report to the president on the actions of Congress.
E.reveal criminal activity on the part of members of Congress.
Q:
Of the 10,000 or so bills introduced annually in Congress, ____ eventually become law.
A.less than 1 percent
B.2 to 3 percent
C.5 to 10 percent
D.about 22 percent
E.about 45 percent
Q:
The chairpersons of the powerful congressional committees are
A.chosen in a nationwide election.
B.elected by the full membership of congress.
C.members of the majority party who are appointed by the majority party leadership.
D.evenly divided between majority and minority party members.
E.appointed based solely on seniority regardless of party affiliation.
Q:
In the two-chamber Congress, both chambers vote individually on bills, and often the votes of the two chambers disagree. To reach consensus, the two chambers create which type of committee?
A.conference committee
B.standing committee
C.joint committee
D.select committee
E.ad hoc committee
Q:
A temporary committee within either chamber of Congress that is established to investigate a particular issue of concern and report back to the full chamber is called a
A.conference committee.
B.standing committee.
C.joint committee.
D.presidential committee.
E.select committee.
Q:
Permanent committees existing in both the House and Senate that deal with constant, recurring issues are called
A.standing committees.
B.select committees.
C.conference committees.
D.compromise committees.
E.joint committees.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT considered to be a normal task of a member of the modern Congress?
A.running for re-reelection
B.serving constituents
C.working on legislation
D.traveling internationally to develop and negotiate treaties
E.providing oversight of federal agencies
Q:
Both chambers of Congress, and both majority and minority parties in the chambers, choose a member who has the responsibility to keep track of how party members are planning to vote on upcoming legislation and to work with party members to keep the party in unison. This party leadership position is called the
A.sergeant at arms.
B.committee chair.
C.whip.
D.president pro tempore.
E.clerk.
Q:
The presiding officer in the U.S. Senate is
A.the majority whip of the Senate.
B.the president pro tempore of the Senate.
C.the vice president of the United States.
D.the clerk of the Senate.
E.the secretary of state.
Q:
Which of the following is unique concerning the current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi?
A.She is the youngest member of the House.
B.She is the first openly gay member of the House.
C.She has served longer than any other current House member.
D.She is the first woman ever to serve in the House of Representatives.
E.She is the first woman ever to serve as Speaker of the House and to hold a top leadership post in any of the three branches of government.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a duty or responsibility of the Speaker of the House?
A.appointing all committee members
B.acting as arbiter and interpreter of House rules
C.recognizing members who speak in the House
D.assigning bills to committees for consideration
E.censuring House members for disciplinary reasons
Q:
The leader of the U.S. House of Representatives is the
A.Speaker of the House.
B.Majority Leader of the House.
C.Majority Whip.
D.Sergeant at Arms.
E.Vice President of the United States.
Q:
Leadership positions in Congress, such as Speaker of the House, are determined by
A.appointments by the president, which are confirmed by Congress.
B.the results of the nationwide elections.
C.the preferences of the state legislatures.
D.the laws that dictate who will be in the leadership positions.
E.the elected members of Congress.
Q:
How is the number of U.S. Senators from each state determined?
A.The president appoints the number of senators every four years.
B.Article I requires that there be two senators from each state.
C.The number is based on the population of the state.
D.The number is determined by the state's legislature.
E.The number is determined by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Q:
What is the minimum age for becoming a U.S. Senator?
A.no age limit
B.18 years old
C.25 years old
D.30 years old
E.40 years old
Q:
The U.S. Senate was created as a slower, more deliberative body in which legislation is forced to proceed at a more thoughtful pace. What is a primary reason for this design?
A.to serve as an antagonist to the U.S. House of Representatives
B.to protect the integrity of the Congress and to protect the people from radical shifts that result from swift changes in popular opinion
C.to protect legislation from a presidential veto
D.to make sure that the legislation is enforceable
E.the arrangement was not by design, but evolved over time
Q:
What is the length of a term for a U.S. Senator?
A.two years
B.four years
C.six years
D.10 years
E.lifetime appointment
Q:
Prior to 1913, when U.S. Senators were first elected by voters in the individual states, how were the senators chosen?
A.They were appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
B.They were appointed by the state governors.
C.They were chosen by the state legislatures.
D.They were chosen by fellow senators.
E.They were chosen in a nationwide election.
Q:
Article I of the U.S. Constitution sets a minimum age of _____ for anyone serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A.16
B.18
C.25
D.35
E.50
Q:
Currently the population of the average congressional district is
A.less than 10,000.
B.about 50,000.
C.roughly 136,000.
D.approximately 646,000.
E.more than one million.
Q:
The term "gerrymandering" was coined because Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts created a new congressional district that on the map appeared to his opponents as resembling a
A.snake.
B.ink blot.
C.new state.
D.salamander.
E.crescent moon.
Q:
Each state is guaranteed a minimum of how many seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, regardless of population?
A.one
B.two
C.three
D.five
E.ten
Q:
The process of gerrymandering refers to
A.illegally tampering with votes.
B.increasing the size of a congressional district.
C.the concept of "one man, one vote."
D.the drawing of congressional district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.
E.reducing the size of the House of Representatives.
Q:
Once the number of representatives in the House of Representatives had been capped, it was necessary to allocate the appropriate amount of seats in the House to the states. This process is known as
A.gerrymandering.
B.stabilizing.
C.distribution.
D.reapportionment.
E.reassessment.
Q:
Public Law 62-5, passed by Congress in 1911, capped the total number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives at
A.50.
B.65.
C.185.
D.435.
E.1,435.
Q:
In its original language, the U.S. Constitution stated in Article I that the number of members in the U.S. House of Representatives should not exceed one for every ____ citizens.
A.100
B.10,000
C.30,000
D.100,000
E.1,000,000
Q:
In the U.S. House of Representatives, membership from each state is based upon
A.political party strength.
B.appointment by the governor.
C.equal representation from each state.
D.population of the state.
E.amount of funding allotted by the previous Congress.
Q:
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives serve
A.terms of two years.
B.terms of four years.
C.terms of six years.
D.lifetime appointments.
E.staggered terms.
Q:
How is membership from each state in the U.S. Senate determined?
A.by the population of the individual state
B.by equal representation from each state
C.by the results of the U.S. Census every 10 years
D.by the courts
E.by each session of the Senate as members determine the method to be used
Q:
Compared to most other countries that also have two chambers in the legislative body, one significant characteristic of the U.S. Congress is that
A.the U.S. Constitution grants powers to each branch that are just about equally divided.
B.its members are better paid.
C.the U.S. Congress may remove the president from office.
D.it works at a rapid pace in enacting important legislation.
E.it has total control over the executive branch.
Q:
Our legislative branch consists of two chambers: the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. This arrangement is referred to as
A.congressional redistricting.
B.congressional reapportionment.
C.the system of checks and balances.
D.pro tempore.
E.a bicameral legislature.
Q:
The first woman elected to Congress was
A.Elizabeth Dole from North Carolina in 2002.
B.Shirley Chisholm from New York in 1970.
C.Hillary Clinton from New York in 1992.
D.Nancy Pelosi from California in 1989.
E.Jeanette Rankin from Montana in 1916.
Q:
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are elected every two years. Voters normally return _____ of their elected members (incumbents) to office.
A.none
B.less than three
C.about half
D.nine of ten
E.all
Q:
The ultimate authority for enacting new laws lies with
A.Congress.
B.the president.
C.the Supreme Court.
D.state governments.
E.state courts.
Q:
The "father of the U.S. Constitution," James Madison, referred to Congress as
A.the first branch of government.
B.the most dangerous branch of government.
C.a corrupt and evil force.
D.subordinate to the judicial and executive branches of government.
E.ineffective and self-serving.
Q:
Senator Henry Clay was often referred to as the "Great Compromiser." Clay was instrumental in passage of the Compromise of 1850, enacting which of the following?
A.abolition of slavery throughout the union
B.the right of southern states to secede from the union
C.the right of northern states to individually decide the issue of slavery
D.the admission of California as a free state while also creating the territories of Utah and New Mexico and giving them the right to decide the issue of slavery for themselves
E.the creation of a bicameral legislature
Q:
In creating legislation, the U.S. Congress has a reputation for
A.taking decisive action that clearly addresses the problem.
B.moving at a glacial pace, which often takes years for a decision.
C.demonstrating an inability to take any type of action.
D.taking the wrong paths and creating much more serious problems.
E.catering to the liberal core instead of the mainstream.
Q:
Compare and contrast the efficacy of the Gay Rights and Disability Rights movements. How successful have each of these groups been?
Q:
Discuss the evolution of the women's suffrage movement. What lessons can be derived from the drive to ratify the ERA.
Q:
Discuss the direct impact of the 1964 Civil Rights Act on the rights of African Americans.
Q:
The United States has a long history of tensions between the authority of the state governments to apply civil rights and the role of the federal government in these issues. Using the example of African Americans in the post-Civil War and Reconstruction eras, discuss the tensions over the application of the U.S. Constitution to the actions of the states. Especially note the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in this struggle.
Q:
Discuss the experiences of women in their historic journey toward civil rights in the United States. Especially note the right to vote, the Equal Rights Amendment, gender discrimination issues, and the removal of gender barriers over the past three decades in business, military, and political arenas.
Q:
Describe the precedents in the following three Supreme Court cases and discuss how these cases illustrate a timeline in the evolution of civil rights of African Americans:Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Q:
A number of minority groups other than African Americans and women have struggled for citizenship, suffrage, equality, and civil rights in the United States. Name five of these groups and the barriers and successes they have experienced over the years. What are some of the unique circumstances of each group, when compared to other groups?
Q:
Describe the Jim Crow laws in the southern states in the early decades of the 1900s. How and why did these laws materialize? What role did the U.S. Supreme Court play in ending Jim Crow?
Q:
What is the central tenant of the Americans with Disabilities Act?
A.Government subsidies for vocational education.
B.Strict quotas on the number of legislative seats held by disabled citizens.
C.Workplace accommodations for disabled citizens.
D.Guaranteed enlistment in the armed forces.
E.Housing assistance for disabled citizens.
Q:
In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled for the rights of homosexuals in the case of
A.Gregg v. Georgia.
B.Lawrence v. Texas.
C.Furman v. Georgia.
D.Missouri v. Jenkins.
E.Alberto v. Sonia.
Q:
_________ led the longest filibuster in U.S. history in an effort to block passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
A.Jesse Helms
B.Robert C. Byrd
C.Lyndon B. Johnson
D.Strom Thurmond
E.Richard B. Russell
Q:
A hallmark of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s strategy to achieve equality was
A.the use of illegal marches.
B.civil disobedience.
C.working with women's groups such as NOW.
D.creating leadership PACs.
E.justifiable homicide.
Q:
Which of the following is an example of using nonviolent protest to advance civil rights?
A.filing lawsuits
B.the Montgomery Bus Boycott
C.passing Jim Crow laws
D.lynching
E.cross burning
Q:
Brown v. Board of Education overturned
A.Cooper v. Aaron.
B.Muller v. Oregon.
C.Plessy v. Ferguson.
D.Sweatt v. Painter.
E.Missouri v. Gaines.
Q:
The Nineteenth Amendment establishes
A.social justice.
B.Social Security.
C.universal suffrage for all citizens at least 18 years old.
D.African-American suffrage.
E.women's suffrage.
Q:
The suffrage movement
A.promoted a broad array of social justice issues.
B.had racist overtones.
C.promoted voting rights for blacks.
D.advocated equal rights for women.
E.led to passage of the Eighteenth Amendment.