chapter 11: Congress Flashcards
The true leader of the senate is the _____, elected by the majority party.
Majority Leader
Which of the following committees of the House of Representatives sets the conditions for debate and amendment of most legislation?
Rules
When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committees?
Conference
The Vice President’s only constitutionally defined job is to serve as ____ of the Senate?
President
The franking privilege refers to
Rights of members of congress to send their mail to their constituents at the government’s expense
Which of the following about cloture is true?
They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to vote
Which of the following about the senate is true?
Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process
In the House of Representatives, a bill goes to the Rules committee ____
After it is amended or rewritten in its full committee
This individual keeps close contact with all members of his or her party, counts votes for key legislation, prepares summaries for bills, and acts a communication link within parties
majority/minority whip
A major difference between HOR and Senate
There is unlimited debate in Senate and not in HOR
Which of the following groups is most underrepresented in Congress?
women
____ is a good example of congressional casework
Assistance to a constituent in obtaining a Social Security check
A lobbyist for NRA would be most effective when targeting a legislator ____.
Whose voting behavior opposes gun control
In HOR, who is second in authority to the speaker
Majority leader
The term “pork barrel” refers to legislation specifically designed to
Provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents
____ organize hearings, research legislative options, draft reports on bills, write legislation, and keep tabs on the activities of the executive branch
Committee staffers
Each state has ____ senators elected every ____ years/
two;six
Which of the following is generally true of gerrymandering of congressional districts?
It creates districts that favor one party over the other
Which statement about incumbency is most accurate?
Have a huge advantage in reelection
The ____ holds the only legislative office mandated by the Constitution
Speaker of the house
The House minority leader is
the principal member of the minority party in the House
The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in the
US House of Representatives
Most of the real work in Congress goes on in the _________, which dominates congressional policymaking in all its stages
committees
Congressional districts boundaries are usually drawn every ten years by the________
state legislatures
The Constitutional Convention resulted in what form of legislature?
Bicameral
Members of Congress aren’t typical Americans, thus they can’t claim _________ representation - but they may engage in ________ representation
descriptive: substantive
A _______ is a group of members of Congress who share some interests and characteristics; their goal is to promote the interests around which they are formed
caucus
Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress?
Speaker of the House
Charged with the responsibility to grant and set procedural rules, the _______ is almost certainly the most powerful committee in either chamber of Congress
the House Rules Committee
_____________ is define as the activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals, particularly by cutting through bureaucratic red tape
Casework
No bill can be passed unless both House and Senate agree on it; each body can thus _____ the policies of the other
veto
Which of the following constitutional provisions broadened the power of Congress?
Necessary and Proper Clause
Which statement is true of the House of Representatives?
Members are elected every 2 years and apportioned to states based on population
The Constitution specifies that members of the House must be at least __ years old and American citizens for __ years
25: 7
Why are there currently 435 members in the House of Representatives?
The number is fixed by a statute
What best explains the overwhelming advantages incumbents possess in seeking reelection over opposing candidates?
Name recognition, access to media, and franking privilege
Which example best demonstrates a legislator acting as a trustee of their constituency?
Legislator considers public opinion, refining it with information and careful thought
______ committees exist in both the House and Senate may be temporary or permanent, and usually have a focused responsibility
Select/Special
Most of the legislating in Congress takes place in __
standing committees
The role Congress plays in ensuring that the executive branch agencies are carrying out their legislated responsibilities is known as __
legislative oversight
