question

The lawmaking function of Congress is central to democracy because

answer

it is the means by which the public will become public policy

question

Which qualifications for House members is NOT in the Constitution?

answer

must live in the district being represented

question

Which statement about the Senate is true?

answer

It has two members from each State

question

Which fact disqualifies a person from representing Utah in the Senate?

answer

The candidate lives in Utah but works in Idaho

question

The fact that all congressional districts in a State must have about the same number of people so that one person's vote is equal to another's, is due to

answer

Wesberry v. Sanders ruling

question

Compensation for senators is

answer

the same as for representatives

question

In Congress, screening bills for floor consideration is a major duty of

answer

Committee Members

question

The regular period of time during which Congress conducts its business is called a

answer

session

question

The House may refuse to seat a member-elect only if he or she

answer

does not meet constitutional standards (of age, citzenship, and residency)

question

The number of Senate seats held by each State is

answer

fixed by the Constitution

question

Few members of Congress today

answer

are minorities

question

Members of Congress fill all of the following roles EXCEPT that of

answer

Cabinet member

question

The Framers of the Constitution favored bicameralism because

answer

it allowed for fair and equal representation of the States at the national level

question

Which of the following is true of the House of Representatives?

answer

Every State is represented by atleast one member

question

Which group has generally used its power to gerrymander congressional districts?

answer

State legislatures

question

Which of the following is an informal qualification for the House of Reprentatives?

answer

must currently reside in the district he or she reprents

question

On the average, which group of people occupy the majority of seats in Congress?

answer

white, middle-aged men

question

When must congressional elections be held?

answer

the Tuesday (after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year)

question

Which statement about congressional districts is true?

answer

They function as voting districts within each State

question

Senators are elected to serve

answer

six-year terms

question

Which of the following is a qualification for senators?

answer

(must have been a citizen for at least) nine years

question

Before the 17th Amendment was adopted, senators were chosen by

answer

the State legislatures

question

Why does the Constitution guarentee that the courts may not prosecute members of Congress for what they say in the House or Senate is relation to

answer

Freedom of speech is a vital part of legislative debate

question

All of the following are differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate EXCEPT

answer

method of election

question

Supreme Court rulings have been key to broadening the scope of which expressed power?

answer

the commerce power

question

The powers of Congress are affected by all of the following EXCEPT what the

answer

Constitution is silent about

question

In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court

answer

upheld the doctrine of implied powers

question

The level of the nation's debt

answer

is not limited by any government agency

question

Since 1789, the expansion of power of the National Government has been caused by all of the following EXCEPT

answer

strict construction of the Constitution

question

For what purpose does the Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate bankruptcy?

answer

to establish uniform procedures for dealing with insolvent debtors

question

The Supreme Court ruling in Gibbons v. Oglen expanded the

answer

commerce power (to include all commerical interactions)

question

According to the Constitution, who has the sole power to impeach the President?

answer

The House of Representatives

question

Which of the following nonlegislative powers may be exercised solely by the Senate?

answer

the power to approve or reject major presidential appointments

question

Which of the following is an example of the investigatory powers of Congress?

answer

gathering information useful in making legislative decisions

question

All of the following expressed powers belong to Congress EXCEPT

answer

the power to tax exports

question

Under the Constitution, Congress has the sole power to

answer

declare war

question

All treaties must be approved by a two-thirds vote of

answer

the Senate

question

Which of the following powers could Congress use to help protect American car makers from foreign competition?

answer

the currency power

question

Why did the Framers include the Necessary and Proper Clause in the Constitution?

answer

to empower Congress (to pass laws needed to carry out the expressed powers)

question

All of the following are implied powers of Congress EXCEPT the power to

answer

censor radio and TV programs

question

Who has the power to propose Constitutional amendments?

answer

Congress

question

In order to bring charges against the President or Vice President for misconduct in office, the House of Representatives is given

answer

the power to impeach

question

The Commerce Clause entitles Congress to

answer

regulate airline routes in New England

question

The implied powers doctrine, upheld in McCulloch v. Maryland gives Congress the power to do

answer

anything reasonably related to carrying out the expressed powers

question

Congress is given investigatory powers in order to

answer

examine matters related to its lawmaking powers

question

All of the following war powers are granted to Congress EXCEPT the power to

answer

appoint a commander in chief

question

Congress shares foreign relations power with the

answer

President

question

The duties of the House Rules Committee are best described as those of a

answer

traffic cop

question

When the Senate's Republican caucus wants part members to vote for a bill, the person who determines how many votes can be

answer

Whip

question

The main reason that Congress creates committees is to

answer

divide the workload

question

Which of the following is a way a bill can become a law without the President's signature?

answer

(The President fails to act on the bill within) 10 days (of recieving it while Congress is in session)

question

To propose a constitutional amendment, Congress uses a

answer

joint resolution

question

How and when bills reach the floor if the House is decided by the

answer

Rules Committee

question

Committee chairpersons usually are choseb

answer

on the basis of senority

question

Unlike the House, the Senate has a legislative process with

answer

few limits on debate

question

Bills are introduced in the Senate by

answer

individual senators

question

In the Vice President's absence, the presiding officer of the Senate is the

answer

president pro tempore

question

The House Rules Committee may do all of the following EXCEPT

answer

attach amendments to a bill

question

The main way to end a filibuster is by

answer

invoking the Cloture Rule

question

On the first day od each new term, the House

answer

elects a Speaker to preside

question

In order to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law, the President may

answer

refuse to sign it and attach a veto message

question

Proposed measures that apply to specific individuals or places are

answer

Private bills

question

The president pro tempore

answer

serves in the absence of the Vice President (of the United States)

question

Most select committees do NOT

answer

produce compromise bills

question

When a bill is introduced in the House it is FIRST

answer

given a number and title

question

Most measures introduced in the House die at which of these steps?

answer

Committee

question

In the Senate, a filibuster may be ended with a vote that invokes

answer

Cloture Rule

question

Conference committees act as a "third house of Congress" when they

answer

produce a compromise bill (that both the House and Senate will accept)

question

Which of the following options is NOT available to a President who has just received a bill passed by Congress?

answer

sign the bill after 15 days

question

At the beginning of each new term, the Senate

answer

faces new organizational problems

question

Majority floors leaders hold considerable power due mainly to the fact that

answer

the majority party has more seats that the other party has

question

The role of the House Rules Committee is played in the Senate by the

answer

majority floor leader

question

In both houses, the standing committees

answer

are usually headed by members chosen on the basis of senority

question

Bills that originate in either house of Congress may be

answer

formulated by private citizens

question

The purpose of a filibuster is to

answer

prevent action on a bill

question

House leaders may use any of these calendars to schedule debate on a bill EXCEPT

answer

Congressional Calender

question

A compromise bill worked on by a conference committee of House and Senate members is

answer

usually passed by both houses of Congress

question

Why did the Framers of the constitution establish a bicameral Congress?

answer

(The Framers wanted a system of) Checks and Balances (to keep each house from getting too powerful. They wanted an upper house to represent each state equally and a lower house to represent each state based on population.)

question

What impact did the Gibbons Vs. Ogden decision have on domestic transportation systems?

answer

(It prevented states from establishing similar) monopolistic transportation laws(encouraging growth of steamboat travel and cargo shipping. This expanded trade opportunities between states, boosting states' economies. Landlocked states were better able to participate in regional trade because they gained access to all navigable US waters. The decision in Gibbons created opportunities for the development of more efficient means of transporting people and goods, such as the railroad)

question

Limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution

answer

10

question

Immunity of states from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state borders. Lays the foundation for sovereign immunity

answer

11

question

Revises presidential election procedures

answer

12

question

Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime

answer

13

question

Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post-Civil War issues

answer

14

Unit 3 Government Test – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards