Political Science 1 - Government of the United States and California » Summer 2020 » Congress Quiz

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Question #1
A filibuster is
A.   the use of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.
B.   an attempt to persuade others to vote for a particular bill in return for a favor at a later date.
C.   used in the House to force a standing committee to release a bill.
D.   a technique that is unique to the House
E.   a method used by the Speaker of the House to promote the majority party’s legislation.
Question #2
A representative who is performing the role of a trustee is
A.   acting according to the broad interests of the entire society.
B.   supporting the president on all of his or her legislative programs.
C.   supporting his or her political party.
D.   mirroring the views of the majority of the constituents who elected him or her.
E.   representing other members of Congress.
Question #3
A representative who is performing the role of an instructed delegate is
A.   acting according to the broad interests of the entire society.
B.   supporting the president on all of his legislative programs.
C.   supporting his or her political party.
D.   representing other members of Congress.
E.   mirroring the views of the majority of the constituents who elected him or her.
Question #4
A special provision in legislation to set aside funds for projects that have not passed an impartial evaluation by agencies in the executive branch is called a(n)
A.   earmark.
B.   amendment.
C.   unfunded mandate.
D.   rider.
E.   backdoor clause.
Question #5
Congress’s main function is to
A.   decide whether or not laws are constitutional.
B.   enforce the laws.
C.   impeach high government officials.
D.   make laws.
E.   use its oversight power.
Question #6
Enumerated powers are
A.   spelled out in the Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution.
B.   powers that allow the president to do whatever he likes, as long as it carries out the Constitution.
C.   Supreme Court decisions.
D.   powers that are specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution.
E.   powers that the executive branch has.
Question #7
Most of the actual work of legislating is
A.   done in the Rules Committee of the Senate.
B.   done when the president signs it.
C.   performed by the committees and subcommittees within Congress.
D.   performed by interest groups and then acted on by Congress.
E.   performed on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Question #8
Oversight is
A.   when the President supervises the activity of the judicial branch.
B.   the process by which Congress reviews the actions of subcommittees.
C.   the process by which Congress follows up on the laws it has enacted.
D.   when Congress passes legislation.
E.   the time of the year that Congress chooses its leadership.
Question #9
Standing committees are
A.   committees inside committees, which handle tasks that the main committee has no time for.
B.   committees that work with counterparts in the other house of Congress.
C.   committees that handle issues that the most important committees in Congress do not consider.
D.   committees that reconcile differences in an action.
E.   permanent bodies that are established by the rules of each chamber and that continue from session to session.
Question #10
The concept of cloture refers to
A.   a method used to defeat legislation in Congress.
B.   action taken by the House Rules Committee that must be approved by the Speaker.
C.   the resolution that adjourns Congress.
D.   a process that shuts off discussion on a bill in the Senate.
E.   closed meetings held by both parties to elect their leadership or resolve other important issues.
Question #11
The de facto power in the Senate belongs to
A.   President of the Senate.
B.   the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
C.   President pro tempore of the Senate.
D.   Senate majority and minority leaders and their respective whips.
E.   Senator designate selected by the president.
Question #12
The job of a conference committee is to
A.   set the rules of debate for a bill.
B.   determine the committee path of a bill.
C.   override a presidential veto.
D.   originate appropriations bills.
E.   write a compromise bill, if the House and Senate bills contain different provisions.
Question #13
The largest occupational group among members of Congress is
A.   clergy.
B.   lobbyists.
C.   businesspersons.
D.   educators.
E.   lawyers.
Question #14
The necessary and proper clause
A.   is located in the Constitution in the text of the Tenth Amendment.
B.   has provided the basis for an expanded role of the national government.
C.   has served to limit the expansion of national authority.
D.   was in the original Constitution, but was eliminated as a consequence of the Twenty-Seventh Amendment.
E.   has greatly expanded the presidential powers.
Question #15
The practice of logrolling is
A.   when members of Congress use unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.
B.   when members of Congress attach amendments to bills.
C.   when members of Congress undermine the personal credibility of their opponents.
D.   an arrangement in which members of Congress agree in advance to support each others’ bills.
E.   the process of putting together a budget.
Question #16
The president of the Senate is
A.   the senator with the most seniority, regardless of party.
B.   the fourth person in line to succeed the president.
C.   the vice president of the United States.
D.   always a member of the majority party in the Senate.
E.   the leader of the majority party in the Senate.
Question #17
The rights to collect taxes, to spend, and to regulate commerce are
A.   powers reserved for the president.
B.   the most important foreign policy powers of Congress.
C.   the most important domestic powers of Congress.
D.   powers that have only recently been granted to Congress.
E.   powers reserved exclusively for the states.
Question #18
The whips assist the party leaders by
A.   pressuring them to take positions popular among the party rank-and-file.
B.   attempting to convince the general public that congresspersons should vote the party line.
C.   passing information down from the leadership to party members and ensuring that members cast their votes on important issues.
D.   gathering research information.
E.   voting to support the party platform at the national convention.
Question #19
The ______ of the Senate is mostly a ceremonial position.
A.   majority whip
B.   minority whip
C.   minority leader
D.   majority leader
E.   president pro tempore
Question #20
Reapportionment is
A.   the redrawing of district boundaries within each state.
B.   the allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census.
C.   a budget procedure used in the House.
D.   altering a legislative formula that apportions spending among the states.
E.   a court order to hold new elections because of voting irregularities.

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