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The US Constitution gives the legislative branch the power to make laws. This is an example of

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separation of powers

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An enumerated power is a power of Congress that is

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specifically named in the Constitution

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An example of an implied power of Congress is

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establishing the Bank of the United States

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The Bill of Rights states that "Congress shall make no law representing an establishment of religion..." This is an example of a

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power prohibited to Congress

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Oversight and public education are examples of

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non-legislative functions of Congress

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Congress initiates the formal constitutional amendment process by

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a two-thirds majority vote of each house

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The Senate has the constitutional power of

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confirming presidential appointments

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To run for office in the House of Representatives, candidates must be

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residents of the state they wish to represent

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Having only one-third of its members stand for election at a time means that the Senate is

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all

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The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has decreased the membership in Congress of

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white males

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One of the advantages of a bicameral legislature, composed of the House and Senate, is it

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encourages compromise between representatives of the larger and smaller states

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A term of Congress lats for

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2 years

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The title of the presiding officer of the House of Representatives is

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Speaker of the House

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Assisting the majority party leaders in both houses are members called the majority whip and the minority whip. Their role is to

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apply pressure and persuasion to keep party members in the house in line

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The organization of Congress into committees is important because of

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both a & b

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The committee system in Congress is required by which article of the Constitution?

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The committee system is not required by the Constitution

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After its introduction, congressional leaders usually refer a proposed bill to

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a standing committee

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A committee appointed specifically to investigate a particular scandal is called an

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ad hoc committee

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Which of the following controls the assignment of the majority of committee seats in the Houses of Congress?

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the political party with an overall majority in that House

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The role of congressional staffs for individual members and for committees of Congress is to

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all

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The agency responsible for providing Congress with information on the president's proposed budget is the

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Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

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The General Accounting Office (GAO) assists Congress in its oversight function by

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auditing the financial expenditures of the executive branch and federal agencies

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A bill in the House of Representatives may only be introduced by a

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member of the House of Representatives

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How is it decided to which committee a bill will go after it has been introduced?

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the majority leadership selects the committee

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A committee can take all of the following actions on a bill, EXCEPT

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sign it into law

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Which of the following is a case of the executive branch imposing a "check" on the legislature's power to make laws?

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the president vetoes the bill

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The US Constitution allocates the power to make laws to the

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legislative branch

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The power of Congress to declare war is a

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enumerated power

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The "elastic clause" in the Constitution has been used to

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give Congress the power to make whatever laws are necessary and proper to carry out its expressly enumerated powers

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The confirmation process allows the Senate to

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judge the abilities of many of the president's appointees to public office

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When the Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I, it was

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refusing to ratify a treaty

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Which of the following is TRUE of Congress's power of oversight?

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Congressional oversight activities generally take place at the committee and subcommittee levels.

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In body must the impeachment of a federal official begin?

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the House of Representatives

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Why would constituent casework create an advantage for an incumbent during a re-election campaign?

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through casework, the incumbent can build visibility and support

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The most common previous occupation of the U.S. Congress is

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law

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A representative from a farming district who voted against farm subsidies is probably acting as a

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trustee

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The major portion of congressional business is handled by

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the standing committees of the house of the house and senate

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In response to a presidential campaign finance scandal, Congress would be likely to appoint which type of committee to investigate?

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an ad hoc committee

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A member of the House of Representatives wishing to influence tax policy would tax policy would most likely want which of the following committee assignments?

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Ways and Means

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House members are more concerned about their committee assignments than are senators because

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the rules make it extremely difficult for representatives to influence legislation on the House floor

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Which of the following people would a member of Congress most likely contact for information on pending revenue legislation?

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the staff at one of the congressional support agencies

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The most common place for a bill to die is

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in committee

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Senators can try to kill a bill by

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all

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Filibusters are less likely to occur in the House of Representatives than in the Senate because

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debate in the House is usually strictly regulated by the rules

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The Rules Committee is considered among the most powerful in the House of Representatives because it has great power over the

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conditions under which bills are debated and amended

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Under which of the following circumstances is Congress LEAST likely to pass a bill that the president has threatened to veto?

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the president's public approval rating is extremely high

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At which point may opponents of proposed legislation focus their efforts on defeating it?

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all

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Which of the following generally results when the Senate and the House of Representatives pass different versions of the same bill?

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the two legislative bodies form a conference committee

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Congress's power to determine national policy

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usually increases as a president's popularity decreases, and vice versa

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In what year did Congress create the federal court system (those courts below the Supreme Court)?

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1789

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Which was the FIRST independent regulatory commission created by Congress?

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The Interstate Commerce Commission

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Which of the following laws, passed in 1973, represents an attempt by Congress to limit the president's power as commander-in-cheif?

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The war powers act

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