What is the primary Constitutional
function of Congress?
1. Annoy the
American Public
2. Take money from
lobbyists
3. Raise money for
their campaign
4. Help constituents
The official who is an intermediary between the
party leadership and the rank and file members
of Congress is the
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Speaker of the House
Majority leader
Majority whip
President pro tempore
Clerk of the House
C
Majority Whip
Which of the following activities that members
of Congress routinely perform is most important
to their constituents?
A. Attending the meeting of the party caucus
B. Going to a fund-raiser sponsored by a
political action committee
C. Giving an interview on national defense
issues
D. Drafting an amendment to the Department
of Transportation appropriation bill
E. Contacting the Social Security
Administration regarding a claim for benefits
E
Contacting the Social Security Administration
regarding a claim for benefits
Incumbent senators face greater competition when
they run for reelection than members of the House for
all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
A. A state is more diverse than a
congressional district, providing a
greater base for opposition.
B. Senators have less contact with the
constituents.
C. Voters are less likely to know the
issue positions of their senators.
D. Senators tend to have better known
opponents.
E. To overcome their advantage, Senate
challengers outspend incumbents.
E
To overcome their advantage, Senate
challengers outspend incumbents.
When courts examine the legislative history of a
bill, they give most weight to which type of
evidence?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Committee hearings
Committee reports
The mark-up bill
Floor debate in The Congressional
Record
E. The bill as introduced
B
Committee Reports
Responsibility for reconciling the House and Senate
versions of a bill falls to
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Conference committee
Standing committee
Select committee
Oversight committee
Joint committee
A
Conference Committee
Which of the following provisions of a defense
appropriations bill is considered a rider?
A. Funding for a new missile defense
system
B. Increase in benefits for military
dependents
C. Price support for dairy farmers in New
England
D. Construction of family housing units at
a naval air station
E. Research and development funding on
anti-terrorism tactics
C
Price support for dairy farmers in New England
Those who oppose term limits for members of
Congress argue that
I.
A tremendous amount of legislative experience will be lost
if term limits are imposed.
II.
The people have the right to vote for whomever they
want.
III.
The Supreme Court will never allow term limits.
IV.
A less experienced Congress will lead the country into
war.
A.
I only
B.
I and II only
C.
I, II, III only
D.
III only
E.
II and IV only
B
I and II
All of the following statements about the legislative
process are true EXCEPT:
A. Only a small percentage of bills
introduced become law.
B. Anyone can write a bill, but only a
member of Congress can introduce it.
C. A majority of the House does not have
to be present to debate a bill on the
floor.
D. A cloture vote cuts off debate on a bill
immediately, and the Senate must
vote.
E. Identical bills can be introduced in the
House and the Senate.
D
A cloture vote cuts off debate on a bill
immediately, and the Senate must vote.
Which of the following is the only non-legislative
function the House of Representatives has
under the Constitution?
A. To impeach federal officials
B. To approve appoints to federal courts
C. To “advise and consent” on treaties
negotiated by the president
D. To try cases of impeachment
E. To debate all revenue bills
A
To impeach federal officials
A bill or a provision of a bill that provides clear
benefits to the district of a member of Congress
is an example of
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Logrolling
A Christmas tree
A public bill
Private bill
Pork barrel legislation
E
Pork Barrel Legislation
Political action committees make larger total
contributions to House races than Senate races
because
A. House members are more likely to
vote the way the PAC wants.
B. House members have more influence
on legislation than the Senate.
C. The entire house is up for election
every two years.
D. Senators are much wealthier than
representatives.
E. Senators cannot take PAC money
under the Senate rules.
C
The entire house is up for election every
two years.
In the process of enacting legislation, the House
Rules Committee is responsible for
A. Establishing the procedures Congress
follows
B. Appointing members of standing
committees
C. Setting the limits of debate on the
floor
D. Holding hearings on all revenue bills
E. Assigning bills to the proper
committees
C
Setting the limits of debate on the floor
All of the following are examples of Congress exercising
its oversight function EXCEPT:
A. Holding a floor debate on a bill to reduce
eligibility requirements for Medicare
B. Hearing a Department of Defense official
testify on B-1 bomber cost overruns
C. Submitting data to a committee on
complaints against the Internal Revenue
Service
D. Holding committee hearings on regulations
issued by the Federal Communications
Commission
E. Cutting the budget of a federal agency that
consistently fails to meet its goals
A
Holding a floor debate on a bill to reduce eligibility
requirements for Medicare
A newly elected member of Congress that represents a district
with a large number of aerospace companies would prefer to
serve on which of the following committees?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Banking and Financial Services
Judiciary
Ways and Means
International Relations
Armed Services
E
Armed Services
Which if the following statements about the Speaker of
the House are valid?
I.
The Speaker is elected by only the
members of the majority party.
II. The Speaker is next in line for succession
after the vice-president.
III. The Speaker presides over the House.
IV. The Speaker assigns bills to committees.
A. I, II, III only
B. I and II only
C. II, III, IV only
D. III and IV only
E. II and III only
C
II, III, IV