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CHAPTER 13

Congress

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Ans: EPage: 318Type: Factual

1. Besides the United States, which other nations have congresses?

a. Great Britain onlyb. Most European nations and Chinac. Most European nations onlyd. Great Britain and most European nations onlye. Most Latin American countries only

Ans: DPage: 318Type: Factual

2. In Great Britain’s parliamentary system, candidates for Parliament are selected by

a. other members of Parliament, as in a private club.b. the people, through primary elections.c. delegates to the party conventions.d. the party. e. the Prime Minister.


3. A basic difference between a parliament such as Great Britain’s and the U.S. Congress is that

a. members of Congress are more likely to vote the party line.b. the principal role of Congress is to debate national issues.c. members of Parliament have more power and higher pay.d. party members in a parliament vote together on most issues. e. party members in Congress are more restrained by the

leadership.

Ans: CPage: 319Type: Factual

4. In a parliamentary system, when members of the government’s party vote against the parliament, the leadership must

a. form an alliance with the opposition.b. appeal to the people to influence their representatives.c. dissolve the parliament and form a new government.d. resign and name someone from the opposing party to lead the

government. e. resign and join the opposing party.


5. A basic difference between a parliament such as Great Britain’s and the U.S. Congress is that

a. the principal role of Congress is to debate national issues.b. members of Parliament have more power and higher pay.c. members of Congress are more likely to vote the party line.d. Congress does not select a president. e. None of the above.

Ans: EPage: 319Type: Conceptual

6. If the Framers had created a parliament instead of a congress, it is reasonable to assume that its principal function would be

a. representation and action.b. investigation and censure.c. involvement in the details of administration.d. conducting foreign policy. e. debate.

Ans: APage: 319Type: Conceptual

7. The text suggests that the importance of congressional legislators, compared with members of parliament, can best be inferred from the

a. resources they receive while in office.b. number of votes they receive in elections.c. number of votes they cast while in office.d. frequency with which they debate major bills. e. number of committee assignments they have.

Ans: APage: 321Type: Factual

8. The term bicameral used to describe the U.S. legislature means that the legislature

a. has two chambers, or legislative bodies.b. is elected every two years.c. consists of both committees and a main body.d. is based on a system of checks and balances. e. is apportioned once every ten years.


9. One important effect of bicameralism is that it

a. ensures a separation of federal powers.b. creates an environment which resists unnecessary

investigations.c. ensures the dominance of Congress over the executive and

judicial branches of government.d. makes Congress subject to the powers of the Supreme Court. e. balances large and small states.


10. Under the original U.S. Constitution, members of the Senate, unlike members of the House, were selected by

a. direct elections.b. the president.c. state legislatures.d. primary runoffs. e. regional coalitions.


11. Under the original U.S. Constitution, members of the House, unlike members of the Senate, were selected by

a. direct elections.b. the president.c. state legislatures.d. primary runoffs. e. regional coalitions.

Ans: APage: 320 (box)Type: Factual

12. Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution confers on Congress all of the following powers except

a. the power to veto bills.b. the power to collect taxes.c. the power to declare war.d. the power to establish courts. e. the power to regulate commerce.

Ans: BPage: 322Type: Conceptual

13. The overriding political question throughout the evolution of Congress has been the

a. balance of power among Congress, the executive, and the judiciary.

b. distribution of powers within Congress.c. curtailment of presidential activism.d. role of the parties in selecting members. e. rules pertaining to committee assignments.


14. The main reason why the House dominated Congress in the first quarter of the nineteenth century was the

a. dominant role of conservatism.b. burdensome rules in the Senate.c. existence of the seniority system.d. dominant role of sectionalism. e. influence of the party caucus.

Ans: DPage: 323Type: Conceptual

15. The Senate, not the House, became the crucial forum for debating the issue of slavery because

a. the House at that time was dominated by the executive branch.b. the Senate had the larger black representation.c. House representatives were picked by the state legislatures.d. the two sides were equally matched in the Senate. e. the House failed to redistrict itself for almost 80 years.


16. All of the following statements concerning the filibuster are correct except:

a. It became a common feature of Senate life by the end of the nineteenth century.

b. It became an unpopular feature of Senate life by the end of the nineteenth century.

c. It was used by liberals and conservatives alike. d. There have been attempts to restrict its use. e. Today, it takes 75 Senators to end debate.

Ans: BPage: 325Type: Factual

17. The purpose of a filibuster is to

a. ensure that all sides of an issue are heard.b. delay action in a legislative body.c. protect majority rule.d. shift legislative power to the Senate committees. e. magnify the impact of specific special interests.


18. The typical member of Congress is a(n)

a. middle-aged, white, Protestant businessman.b. older, white, Protestant businessman.c. older, white, Catholic lawyer.d. middle-aged, white, Protestant lawyer. e. young, white, communications major.


19. In terms of the composition of its membership, the House since 1950 has become

a. less male and less white.b. less male and more white.c. more male and less white.d. more male and more white. e. None of the above.


20. In terms of its percentage of women and nonwhite members since 1950, the Senate, compared with the House, has

a. been slower to change.b. changed at about the same rate as the House.c. been faster to change.d. fewer women and nonwhites in powerful positions. e. has not changed at all.


21. The most important change that has occurred in the composition of the House in this century has been the

a. increase in the number of blacks.b. increase in the rate of member turnover.c. decrease in the number of women and other minorities.d. decrease in the rate of member turnover. e. increase in the number of freshmen.


22. Being a Congressman was not regarded as career in the 1860s because

a. the federal government was not that important.b. it was difficult to travel to Washington. c. Washington was not considered a pleasant place to live. d. the job did not pay well. e. All of the above.


23. Serving in Congress had become a career by the

a. 1950s.b. 1960s.c. 1970s.d. 1980s.e. 1990s.


24. All of the following statements concerning term limits are correct except:

a. The movement to impose limits began in the 1980s. b. The House approved a constitutional amendment to limit

terms. c. A constitutional amendment to limit terms died in the Senate. d. The Supreme Court has struck down a state law limiting terms

of members of Congress.e. The Supreme Court has struck down a state law limiting terms

of members of state legislatures.


25. The 1992 and 1994 elections brought scores of new members to the House because

a. of the redrawing of congressional districts after the 1990 census.

b. of voter disgust at a variety of political scandals. c. the South became a Republican stronghold.d. All of the above.e. None of the above.


26. A marginal district is one in which

a. voters frequently change party affiliation.b. the constituency is made up of largely minority groups.c. voters are not clear as to which candidate is the incumbent.d. gerrymandering has produced a loose affiliation of interest

groups. e. the winner in an election gets less than 55 percent of the vote.


27. One proposed explanation for why congressional seats have become less marginal is that

a. the growing strength of the party system makes it less likely for challengers to appeal to average voters.

b. incumbents can use their powers to get programs passed that benefit their districts, and thereby themselves.

c. incumbents are less likely than challengers to become associated with the “mess” in Washington.

d. changing demographics have made an increasing number of districts overwhelmingly Democratic or Republican.

e. incumbents are less ideological than challengers and link themselves with Congress as an institution.

Ans: APage: 328-329Type: Factual

28. In the last thirty congressional elections, the gap between votes and seats in the House is illustrated by the fact that the

a. Republican percentage of vote has been higher than the Republican percentage of House seats.

b. Republican percentage of vote has been lower than the Republican percentage of House seats.

c. Democratic percentage of vote has been higher than the Democratic percentage of House seats.

d. Democratic percentage of vote has been lower than the Democratic percentage of House seats.

e. a and d.


29. Since the 1980s, the conservative coalition has become less important because

a. reapportionment has given moderates an advantage in policy making.

b. rules changes have weakened party discipline. c. Congressional leadership changes hands more frequently. d. many southern Democrats in Congress have been replaced by

southern Republicans. e. northern Republicans are more influential.


30. Recent changes in the composition of members in Congress has resulted in

a. a more moderate Senate.b. a more moderate House.c. a more ideological and partisan House.d. a more non-partisan Senate.e. a more non-partisan House.


31. The anti-incumbent mood directed toward members of Congress by voters in recent years has worked to the disadvantage of

a. Democrats.b. Republicans.c. Democrats and Republicans equally.d. Independents. e. Republicans and Independents.


32. The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their constituents is referred to as

a. representational.b. conventional.c. organizational.d. attitudinal. e. relational.


33. The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their colleagues is referred to as


Ans: DPage: 332-333Type: Factual

34. The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote on the basis of their beliefs is referred to as



35. One study reported in the text showed that the strongest correlation between congressional voting and constituency opinion was in the area of

a. social welfare.b. foreign policy.c. taxation.d. commercial regulation.e. civil rights.


36. A problem with the representational interpretation of congressional voting behavior is that

a. senior members of Congress have little need to be concerned about public opinion.

b. on many key issues, public opinion is weak or vague.c. such representation relates to the House but not to the Senate.d. most politicians are not theoreticians. e. most politicians have a strong academic background.


37. In the 1960s, the decentralization of the Senate was encouraged by the fact that

a. it became easier for junior senators to obtain chairmanships. b. conservatives gained power.c. the number of committees was reduced.d. the number of sub-committees was reduced. e. few members were conservative or liberal.


38. Over the past two decades, senators, compared with the average voter, were consistently more

a. conservative.b. liberal.c. conservative in the 1970s, liberal in the 1980s.d. liberal in the 1970s, conservative in the 1980s. e. moderate.


39. In recent years, American voters have political beliefs that are

a. very liberal.b. very conservative.c. close to the center of the political spectrum.d. similar to members of Congress. e. similar to members of the federal courts.


40. In recent years, the political beliefs of members of Congress have become

a. more polarized than voters.b. close to the center of that political spectrum.c. moderately liberal.d. moderately conservative. e. more unified.

Ans: CPage: 334Type: Conceptual

41. The best way to understand how Congress carries out its business is to think of it as

a. a single, centralized bureaucracy.b. anarchy in a three-piece suit.c. a collection of different kinds of organizations.d. a temporary alliance between warring camps. e. a bureaucracy headed by a king.


42. The British House of Commons differs most obviously from Congress in the role played in it by

a. money.b. primaries.c. party organization.d. general elections. e. legislative roles.


43. If you wished to study the real leadership office in the Senate, you would most likely focus on the

a. president pro tempore.b. majority leader.c. party whip.d. chairperson of the Policy Committee. e. chairperson of the Judiciary Committee.


44. A member of the Senate has just been elected to a position that requires him to keep the majority leader informed about the opinions of other party members. He has just been elected

a. majority party whip.b. president pro tempore.c. chairman of the Steering Committee.d. chairman of the Policy Committee. e. chairperson of the Judiciary Committee.


45. From the standpoint of the ambitions of a newly elected Democratic senator, the most important element in party organization is the

a. Steering Committee.b. party whip.c. Foreign Relations Committee.d. president pro tempore. e. Judiciary Committee.

Ans: DPage: 333-335Type: Conceptual

46. From the standpoint of the ambitions of a newly elected Republican senator, the most important element in party organization is the

a. Steering Committee.b. party whip.c. Foreign Relations Committee.d. president pro tempore. e. sub-committee chairpersons.


47. The most important aspect of the process of selecting Senate members for key leadership and committee positions is

a. paying off political debts.b. finding the best person available for the job.c. selecting individuals who make an effective television

appearance.d. achieving ideological and regional balance. e. returning political favors.


48. The numerical superiority of House representatives over senators carries with it the implication that the

a. House holds more power than the Senate.b. Senate holds more power than the House.c. Senate leadership has more control than the House leadership.d. House leadership has more control than the Senate leadership. e. House is less partisan than the Senate.


49. Among the many powers of the House Speaker is that he or she

a. determines the committee assignment of bills.b. assigns party members to the various committees.c. keeps party leaders informed about the opinions of their party

members.d. schedules legislation. e. takes the minutes.

Ans: APage: 334-335Type: Conceptual

50. Compared to the Senate of the 1950s and 1960s, today’s Senate can best be described as

a. less party centered, less leader oriented, more hospitable to freshmen, more heavily staffed, and more subcommittee oriented.

b. more party centered, more leader oriented, more hospitable to freshmen, more heavily staffed, and less subcommittee oriented.

c. less party centered, more leader oriented, more hospitable to freshmen, less heavily staffed, and more subcommittee oriented.

d. more party centered, less leader oriented, less hospitable to freshmen, less heavily staffed, and less subcommittee oriented.

e. more party centered, more leader oriented, less hospitable to freshmen, more heavily staffed, and less subcommittee oriented.


51. Votes in Congress that evoked party splits during the 1990s were most likely to be reflective of

a. parties interested in winning elections.b. parties attempting to dispense patronage.c. sharp ideological differences between parties.d. party efforts to keep power. e. parties funded by PAC money.


52. ________ caucuses are formed by groups whose members share a similar ideology.

a. Intra-partyb. Personalc. Constituencyd. Delegatee. Stratified


53. ________ caucuses form around common interests in an issue.



54. ________ caucuses are perceived by their members as representing certain groups nationwide.



55. The Congressional Black Caucus is one of the best known

a. national constituency caucuses.b. interest groups.c. state delegations.d. specialized caucuses. e. auxiliary caucuses.


56. A coalition of House members who support price supports for peanuts would be most likely to label themselves a(n)

a. standing committee.b. lobby.c. interest group.d. constituency caucus. e. special interest.


57. Most of the power in Congress is found in

a. the committees.b. specialized caucuses.c. state delegations.d. party leaders. e. caucuses.


58. Because they are usually the only ones that can report out bills, the most important committees are the

a. joint committees.b. conference committees.c. standing committees.d. select committees. e. rejoinder committees.


59. A member of Congress who is interested in increasing support for the aged would be best advised to

a. make a speech about the difficulties of the aged.b. send a newsletter to constituents describing the difficulties of

the aged.c. get her or his party to state its concern about the aged.d. get the House or Senate to create a select committee on the

aged. e. print a pamphlet or handbill on the topic.


60. Where is the real work of Congress done?

a. On the House floorb. On the Senate floorc. In the caucusesd. In floor sessions in both housese. In the committees in both houses


61. The type of committee most likely to deal with a bill near the end of its legislative process is the

a. standing committee.b. select committee.c. conference committee.d. joint committee. e. rejoinder committee.


62. Since the 1970s, the chairpersons of House committees have been chosen by

a. teller vote.b. voice vote.c. years of seniority.d. the Committee on Committees. e. secret ballot.


63. The changes brought about by the committee bill of rights in the early 1970s included the right to have subcommittee jurisdiction determined by the

a. Democratic Study Group (DSG).b. sub-committee chairpersons.c. party whips.d. committee chairperson. e. majority party members on the committee.


64. The maximum number of committees that can be chaired by one senator is

a. one.b. two.c. three.d. five.e. There is no limit on the number.


65. The text argues that the effects of congressional measures to ensure openness are

a. both good and bad.b. not yet clear.c. likely to increase accountability and rank-and-file power.d. likely to cause obstructionism and greater public dismay. e. certainly destructive of the benefits of decentralization.


66. A recent trend in Congress has been for the number of amendments to proposed laws to

a. decrease, along with the number of individuals offering them.b. increase, but with the number of those offering them to

decrease.c. increase, along with the number of individuals offering them.d. decrease, but with the number of those offering them to

increase. e. None of the above.

Ans: BPage: 344 (box)Type: Factual

67. In the Senate, committees such as Rules and Administration, Small Business, and Veterans’ Affairs are examples of

a. major committees.b. minor committees.c. select committees.d. conference committees. e. rejoined committees.


68. If you were a newly elected member of Congress interested in becoming an expert on a particular policy and influencing your colleagues on this policy, you would probably ask to be assigned to the

a. Appropriations Committee.b. Ways and Means Committee.c. Public Works and Transportation Committee.d. Ethics Committee. e. Post Office and Civil Service Committee.


69. Until the 1990s the most rapidly growing bureaucracy in Washington was that of

a. congressional leaders.b. congressional lobbyists.c. intergovernmental liaison staff.d. staff members of Congress. e. executive dinner staff.


70. One effect of the growth in congressional staff has been to

a. speed up legislation.b. give members of Congress more control over legislation.c. generate more legislative work.d. decrease reliance on lobbies as sources of information. e. increase the influence of corporate lawyers.


71. Increased reliance on staff has made Congress more

a. collegial.b. personal.c. deliberative.d. philanthropic.e. individualistic.

Ans: CPage: 347Type: Conceptual

72. If you are a committee staff member and want to know the status of a bill, you can get the information most quickly from the

a. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA).b. Congressional Budget Office (CBO).c. Congressional Research Service (CRS).d. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). e. Congressional Research Fund (CRF).


73. The original purpose of the General Accounting Office (GAO) was to perform

a. research in the Library of Congress.b. audits of financial records.c. evaluations of technological advancements.d. employment application evaluations. e. audits of high ranking military officers.


74. The staff agency that advises Congress on the probable economic effect of different spending programs and the cost of proposed policies is the

a. Congressional Budget Office (CBO).b. General Accounting Office (GAO).c. Congressional Research Service (CRS).d. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). e. Congressional Research Fund (CRF).


75. Which of the following statements about the speed with which bills move through Congress is correct?

a. It has been decreasing as Congress has grown.b. It has been increasing as a result of teller votes.c. It is depressingly slow in most cases.d. It has been increasing in the electronic age. e. It can vary enormously.


76. Which of the following bills is most likely to pass through Congress quickly?

a. A bill calling for a major increase in defense spendingb. A bill dealing with energy conservationc. A bill affecting our trade policy with the European Economic

Communityd. A bill dealing with aid to the handicappede. A bill dealing with funding of covert operations


77. A bill can be introduced in Congress by

a. any member of the majority party.b. any member of Congress.c. any member of Congress or the president.d. members of the relevant committees only. e. committee chairmen only.


78. The complexity of the procedure for enacting a law gives the advantage to the bill’s

a. party supporters.b. opponents.c. congressional sponsors.d. supporters in the executive branch. e. supporters in the media.


79. The treatment that Congress gave President Carter’s energy plan shows that

a. passing complex legislation is difficult for Congress.b. public opinion will ultimately have an effect on a bill’s chances

for passage.c. ideology is more important than institutional factors in

determining the fate of bills.d. reforms in Congress have made it more of a deliberative body. e. Republicans have less incentive than Democrats to

compromise on legislation when rules are restrictive.


80. Which of the following statements about introducing a bill in Congress is correct?

a. A bill not passed during the life of one Congress cannot be introduced again during the next Congress.

b. Bills are initiated by the president, not by Congress.c. A bill not passed during the life of one Congress is dead.d. Most bills introduced today are private rather than public bills. e. None of the above.


81. If a member of the House wants to establish a select committee, he or she is most likely to be introducing a

a. joint resolution.b. bill.c. concurrent resolution.d. bypass resolution. e. simple resolution.


82. Which of the following statements about most joint resolutions is correct?

a. They require the approval of both houses but not the signature of the president.

b. They require the approval of one house only along with the signature of the president.

c. They must be approved by two-thirds vote of each house.d. They require the approval of both houses and the signature of

the president. e. They must be approved by all members of both chambers.


83. To propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Congress would have to pass a

a. joint resolution.b. concurrent resolution.c. simple resolution.d. bill. e. bypass resolution.


84. Which of the following statements about revenue bills is correct?

a. They must originate in the House.b. They must originate in the Senate.c. They must originate with the president.d. They can originate in either the House or the Senate. e. They must originate in the Senate Finance Committee.


85. A bill to raise taxes would first be referred to the

a. House Ways and Means Committee.b. Senate Appropriations Committee.c. House Appropriations Committee.d. Congressional Budget Office. e. Senate Judiciary Committee.


86. The trade bill of 1988 was considered by fourteen committees in the House and nine in the Senate. This illustrates the legislative process of

a. marking up.b. joint sponsorship.c. restriction.d. multiple referral. e. red-tagging.


87. The ________ process allows the Speaker to send a bill to a second committee after the first committee is finished acting on it.

a. definitive referralb. remedial referralc. multiple referrald. sequential referrale. mandate referral


88. A mark-up session is one in which

a. a committee or subcommittee makes changes in the original version of a bill.

b. the party leadership assigns priority ratings to numerous bills.c. the Rules Committee determines the conditions under which

floor debate will be conducted.d. a conference committee makes key compromises before

reporting back to both houses. e. committee chairmen meet to discuss the order of discussion for

revenue bills.


89. A discharge petition is used by the House to

a. make revisions and additions to a bill before it is voted on.b. get a bill stalled in committee onto the floor.c. amend a bill that has already passed one house but not the

other.d. override a presidential veto. e. amend a bill in a manner that will make it quite unpopular.


90. All of the following statements concerning discharge petitions are correct except:

a. It must be signed by 218 members of the House. b. In the last century there have been hundreds of efforts to use

them.c. Very few attempts to use discharge petitions succeed. d. Discharge petitions are rarely attempted in the Senate. e. Discharge petitions are rarely attempted in the House.

Ans: EPage: 352-353Type: Conceptual

91. If a House bill has just been reported out of committee and its sponsor is worried that floor amendments will substantially change it, he or she would be most likely to request a(n)

a. discharge petition from his or her colleagues.b. referral slip from a committee chairman.c. open rule from the majority leader.d. amendment from one of the select committees. e. closed rule from the Rules Committee.


92. The effect of allowing bills to be debated under open rather than closed or restrictive rules is to

a. reduce the time needed to vote on a final bill.b. increase the influence of special interests.c. set a time limit on debate.d. increase the number of amendments. e. give greater control to the committees.


93. Unlike the House, the scheduling of legislation in the Senate is

a. controlled by the Rules Committee.b. initiated by means of a discharge petition.c. governed by closed rather than open rules.d. determined by the majority and minority leaders. e. determined ad hoc.


94. A rider is usually added to a bill to

a. speed up the legislative process.b. slow down the legislative process.c. reward or punish certain interest groups.d. circumvent or influence presidential action. e. entice courts to question its constitutionality.


95. A bill that has many nongermane amendments tacked on is called a

a. Christmas-tree bill.b. pork-barrel bill.c. Dirkson Special bill.d. Full-House rider. e. golden shovel bill.


96. In the Senate, a filibuster can be ended by invoking

a. a rider.b. a quorum.c. mark-up.d. cloture. e. a meeting of the whole.

Ans: APage: 354-355Type: Factual

97. Which of the following statements about the current cloture rule is correct?

a. It requires three-fifths of the entire Senate membership to pass.b. It sets a time limit on debate of five minutes per speaker.c. It requires half of the entire Senate membership to sign a

petition to move cloture.d. It is used more frequently by the House than by the Senate. e. It must be certified by a neutral magistrate or judge.


98. If you wanted to know what a member of Congress really thought about a bill, you would be best advised to look at how he or she voted

a. on the final passage of a bill.b. in the previous session.c. during the quorum call on the bill.d. on the referral of the bill. e. on amendments to the bill.


99. To find out how members of Congress voted on a particular bill, it is most useful to have a

a. voice vote or a division vote.b. roll-call vote or a teller vote.c. roll-call vote or a division vote.d. teller vote or a division vote. e. voice vote.


100. Which of the following statements about different methods of voting for a bill in the House and Senate is correct?

a. Roll-call votes in the House are handled orally.b. Individual votes may or may not be recorded.c. Roll-call votes are less numerous today than forty years ago.d. A division vote involves members shouting yea or nay. e. In a teller vote, members sit and raise their hands.

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Documents

congressional research service

congressional research fund

congressional voting behavior

foreign relations committee

general accounting office

president pro tempore

debate national issues

congressional budget office