Congress (Facts)

Question 1

Percentage of women in Congress

Answer 1

20% (50% of population)

Question 2

Percentage of blacks in Congress

Answer 2

9% (12.6% of population)

Question 3

Percentage of Hispanics in Congress

Answer 3

7% (16.3% of population)

Question 4

Which Article of the constitution lays down congress’ powers?

Answer 4

Article 1 Section 8

Question 5

Exclusive powers of House

Answer 5

Initiate money bills; impeachment; elect President in electoral college deadlock

Question 6

Exclusive powers of Senate

Answer 6

Confirm appointments; ratify treaties; try cases of impeachment; elect VP in electoral college deadlock

Question 7

Concurrent powers of Congress

Answer 7

Pass legislation; override presidential veto; initiate constitutional amendments; declare war; confirm newly appointed VP

Question 8

Most recent example of successful impeachment

Answer 8

Thomas Porteous - March 2010

Question 9

When was the President elected by the House?

Answer 9

1800 and 1824

Question 10

Example of Senate appointment in 2017

Answer 10

Rex Tillerson - Secretary of State
56-43
Feb 2017

Question 11

Treaty ratified by senate?

Answer 11

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (2010) 71 votes to 26

Question 12

Overriding of Presidential Veto?

Answer 12

Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) September 2016. Only override of an Obama veto

Question 13

Congress confirmed Vice Presidents during an administration?

Answer 13

Gerald Ford (1973) and Nelson Rockefeller (1974)

Question 14

Current leadership of House (2017)

Answer 14

Speaker: Paul Ryan
Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy
Majority Whip: Steve Scalise

Question 15

Chairs of House and Senate Armed Services committees?

Answer 15

House: Mac Thornberry (Texas)
Senate: John McCain (Arizona)

Question 16

1990s reforms to Committee chairs?

Answer 16

6 year term limit for committee and sub-committee chairs

Question 17

Number of Acts passed in 114th Congress and number of proposed bills?

Answer 17

329 out of 12,063

2.72%

Question 18

Number of bills that did not get past committee stage in 114th Congress?

Answer 18

10,000

Question 19

Example of filibuster

Answer 19

Senator Bernie Sanders against Obama’s 2010 tax deal - spoke for 8.5 hours

Question 20

Percentage of bills that need amending that are taken to a conference committee?

Answer 20

5-10%

Question 21

Successful Obama veto?

Answer 21

Presidential Allowance Modernization Act (2016)

Question 22

Conservative Democrats?

Answer 22

Dan Boren (House)
Joe Manchin (Senate)

Question 23

Liberal Republicans?

Answer 23

Chris Gibson (House)
Scott Brown (Senate)

Question 24

Senate rejection of Presidential nominee (oversight)?

Answer 24

1999: Bill Clinton’s nomination of Ronnie White as federal judge

Question 25

Senate rejection of Presidential treaty (oversight)?

Answer 25

1999: Bill Clinton’s Nucelar test ban Treaty

Question 26

When Democrats took control of Congress in 2006 what was the effect of their oversight?

Answer 26

4 executive officials resigned due to relentless questioning; Army Secretary forced out; Attorney General Gonzales resigned

Question 27

Approval ratings of Congress 2016?

Answer 27

18%

Question 28

Example of pork barrel politics

Answer 28

2015 Aid Bill after Hurricane Sandy
$150 million for fisheries in Alaska
$821 million for harbour dredging