Practice Test 7 – Flashcards
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It is hard to get rid of the filibuster because:
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Both Republicans and Democrats want the opportunity to use it when they are in the minority.
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The two major roles of members of Congress are:
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Representation and lawmaking
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The founders created the congressional decision making process to be:
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Slow and deliberative
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Congress is:
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Less likely to engage in oversight when the presidency and Congress are controlled by the same party
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The major differences between the House and the Senate include all of the following EXCEPT:
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Their power in the legislative process
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______ refers to a congressional committee's monitoring of the executive branch and of government agencies to ensure they are acting as Congress intends.
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Congressional oversight
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Which of the following is not one of the checks and balances that Congress can use in relation to the executive branch?
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The power to declare executive orders unconstitutional
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During the constitutional process of removing a president from office:
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The House impeaches and the Senate removes the president from office.
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The Senate shares with the president the power to:
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Approve members of the Supreme Court
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All of the following powers can be exercised only by the Senate EXCEPT:
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Declaring war
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The job of confirming presidential appointments belongs to the:
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Senate
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The reallocation of congressional seats among the states every ten years, following the census, is known as:
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Reapportionment
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The number of representatives with voting privileges in the House of Representatives:
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Is currently set at 435 members
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The Supreme Court has ruled that House districts:
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Must adhere to the "One Person, One Vote" standard
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Many of the efforts by states to create majority-minority districts:
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Have been held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court
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The process of redrawing congressional districts to match population shifts in states with more than one representative is called:
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Redistricting
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Redrawing congressional district boundaries to favor a particular group or party is known as:
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Gerrymandering
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Partisan gerrymandering is the process in a particular state legislature whereby the majority party:
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Draws districts to maximize the number of House seats the party can win
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According to the textbook, ______ gerrymandering is highly controversial.
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Racial
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One of the major advantages that incumbents have in raising campaign money is that they:
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Have more access to PAC money than do challengers
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It is generally more difficult to win the nomination of your party, but easier to win the general election, when:
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The seat is open.
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It has been increasingly difficult for the parties to work together in Congress in recent years because of:
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Increasing party polarization and hyper-partisanship
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Leaders in Congress obtain their power from:
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The members
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______ are important in Congress because they organize the chambers.
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Parties
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The major source of power for the Senate majority leader is:
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Influence over the scheduling of legislation for floor consideration
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Most of the hard work of considering legislative alternatives and drafting legislation occurs:
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Within congressional standing committees
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The primary responsibility for gathering information, taking testimony, and revising legislation in Congress falls to:
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Standing committees
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The greatest importance of standing committees is that they:
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Increase congressional power by allowing detailed analysis and modification of legislation
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Which of the following is the extremely powerful congressional committee that determines when debate on a bill will take place?
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The House Rules Committee
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It is important for a member of Congress to:
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Serve on committees that deal with constituent issues
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A representative who sought power within the House would likely want a seat on:
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The Rules Committee
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When different versions of the same bill pass in the House and the Senate:
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A conference committee is formed to bridge the gap between the bills.
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Most bills introduced in Congress:
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Die by inaction at the committee stage
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It is so difficult for Congress to pass laws because:
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A bill can be defeated at many points in the process
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In recent years the filibuster has:
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Become a tactic regularly used by the minority party to block proposals of the majority party
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According to the text, the congressional process is slow and involves a great deal of bickering and arguing because:
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Democracy is a messy process that involves bargaining and compromise
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If Americans wanted Congress to quit creating pork barrel projects (also known as earmarks), they would have to:
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Reward their representatives more for engaging in national lawmaking and less for acts of representation
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Congress finds it difficult to make policy that solves national problems because:
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Constituents reward them for taking care of their individual interests.
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Citizens view Congress with:
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Increasing disapproval
