Political Science 7

1. Redrawing congressional district boundaries to favor a particular group or party is known as

Malapportionment.

Franking.

Gerrymandering.

Reapportionment.

Redistricting.

2. The number of representatives with voting privileges in the House of Representatives

Will expand to 500 members in 2012

Is currently set at 435 members.

Remained at 325 members until 2000.

Was frozen by the Twenty-sixth Amendment.

Changes every ten years following the census.

3. It is hard to get rid of the filibuster because

The president would veto legislation eliminating the filibuster.

Both Republicans and Democrats want the opportunity to use it when they are in the minority

It would require a constitutional amendment.

The public favors keeping it

The Supreme Court has ruled that the parliamentary procedure to eliminate it is unconstitutional

4. The two major roles of members of Congress are

Agenda setting and lawmaking.

Policymaking and agenda setting

Representation and lawmaking

Budget approval and policy making.

5. All of the following powers can be exercised only by the Senate EXCEPT

Conducting a trial of a president on impeachment charges.

Declaring war.

Approving treaties.

Confirming presidential appointments to the Supreme Court.

6. According to the textbook, ______ gerrymandering is highly controversial

Incumbent

Geographic

Partisan

Racial

Gender-based

7. ______ refers to a congressional committee's investigation of the executive and of government agencies to ensure they are acting as Congress intends.

A congressional witch hunt

Committee interference with executive prerogative

A markup

Congressional oversight

One of the enumerated powers of Congress

8. The job of confirming presidential appointments belongs to the

Senate.

Judiciary

Cabinet.

House of Representatives.

Congress as a whole.

9. The process of redrawing congressional districts to match population shifts in states with more than one representative is called

Redistricting.

Restructuring.

Gerrymandering.

Franking the membership

Reapportionment.

10. All of the following statements concerning Hispanic representation in Congress are true EXCEPT

In recent years they have been voting more for the Republican Party.

The issue of immigration has had an important effect on the Hispanic vote.

Both parties have tried to win the Hispanic vote

They do not vote as solidly for one party as do African Americans.

They are even more underrepresented than African Americans.

11. The textbook identifies all of the following as types of representation EXCEPT

Policy representation

Allocative representation

Authoritative representation.

Casework.

Symbolic representation.

12. Congress is

More likely to engage in vigorous oversight when the presidency and Congress are controlled by the same party.

Less likely to engage in oversight when the presidency and Congress are controlled by the same party.

More likely to engage in oversight when the public is not interested in the work of an agency.

Less likely to engage in oversight in an election year.

More likely to engage in oversight in an election year.

13. Which of the following is the extremely powerful congressional committee that determines when debate on a bill will take place?

The House Government Reform Committee

The House Ways and Means Committee

The House Appropriations Committee

The House Rules Committee

The House Administration Committee

14. The major differences between the House and the Senate include all of the following EXCEPT

Their power in the legislative process

The method of determining their constituencies.

Their role in the impeachment process.

The size of the institutions

The length of their terms.

15. Which of the following is NOT one of the checks and balances that Congress can use in relation to the executive branch?

The power to veto acts of the president

The power of impeachment

The power to approve treaties

The power to approve presidential appointments to the federal courts

Congressional oversight of the executive branch

16. One of the major advantages that incumbents have in raising campaign money is that they

Can appeal to voters more easily.

Can use their franking privileges to mail campaign literature.

Have more access to PAC money than do challengers.

Have greater access to federal funds to seek reelection.

Are permitted to use their office staff to supplement their campaign staff.

17. The reallocation of congressional seats among the states every ten years, following the census, is known as

Gerrymandering.

Malapportionment.

Franking.

Redistricting.

Reapportionment.

18. According to the textbook, what has happened to the coattail effect in recent years?

It has become completely nonexistent because of declining party ties.

It has been ignored by mainstream political scientists.

It has decreased in importance due to declining party ties.

It has remained roughly as powerful as before.

It has become more pronounced because of increasing party ties.

19. When deciding whether to run for a seat in Congress, strategic politicians will ask all of the following questions EXCEPT

Is this the right district or state for me?

What is the strategic situation in the district?

How are the national tides running? How are the national tides running?

Will this seat lead to the presidency?

Do I have access to the funds necessary to run a vigorous campaign?

20. It has been increasingly difficult for the parties to work together in Congress in recent years because of

The decreasing willingness of members to follow their party leaders.

An increasing number of members who refuse to identify with either party.

Increasing hostility toward presidential leadership

The public’s decreasing attention to the actions of Congress.

Increasing party polarization.

21. Congress makes use of __________ to increase its independence from the executive branch of government

Conference committees

The congressional chief of staff the congressional chief of staff the congressional chief of staff

The Government Accountability Office

The Joint Authorization Task Force

The Legislative Budget Board

22. The greatest importance of standing committees is that they

Give the president more power in the legislative process than he would have otherwise

Increase congressional power by allowing detailed analysis and modification of legislation.

Control the influence of lobbyists on the legislative process.

Permit the leadership to control the legislative process.

23. When different versions of the same bill pass in the House and the Senate,

The chamber that considered the bill originally should take the lead in resolving the differences.

It dies immediately and both chambers must start over.

It is sent back to each chamber for reconsideration.

The president appoints a mediator to negotiate an acceptable compromise.

A conference committee is formed to bridge the gap between the bills.

24. Leaders in Congress obtain their power from

The members.

The Constitution.

Seniority.

The president.

The public.

25. ______ are important in Congress because they organize the chambers.

Standing committees

Presidents

Senior staff

Parties

Lobbyists

Political Science 7

1. Redrawing congressional district boundaries to favor a particular group or party is known as

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

2. The number of representatives with voting privileges in the House of Representatives

3. It is hard to get rid of the filibuster because

4. The two major roles of members of Congress are

5. All of the following powers can be exercised only by the Senate EXCEPT

6. According to the textbook, ______ gerrymandering is highly controversial

7. ______ refers to a congressional committee's investigation of the executive and of government agencies to ensure they are acting as Congress intends.

8. The job of confirming presidential appointments belongs to the

9. The process of redrawing congressional districts to match population shifts in states with more than one representative is called

10. All of the following statements concerning Hispanic representation in Congress are true EXCEPT

11. The textbook identifies all of the following as types of representation EXCEPT

12. Congress is

13. Which of the following is the extremely powerful congressional committee that determines when debate on a bill will take place?

14. The major differences between the House and the Senate include all of the following EXCEPT

15. Which of the following is NOT one of the checks and balances that Congress can use in relation to the executive branch?

16. One of the major advantages that incumbents have in raising campaign money is that they

17. The reallocation of congressional seats among the states every ten years, following the census, is known as

18. According to the textbook, what has happened to the coattail effect in recent years?

19. When deciding whether to run for a seat in Congress, strategic politicians will ask all of the following questions EXCEPT

20. It has been increasingly difficult for the parties to work together in Congress in recent years because of

21. Congress makes use of __________ to increase its independence from the executive branch of government

22. The greatest importance of standing committees is that they

23. When different versions of the same bill pass in the House and the Senate,

24. Leaders in Congress obtain their power from

25. ______ are important in Congress because they organize the chambers.