United States Congress: Structure and Functions

1. Chapter 12 Congress Review A.P. Government and Politics

2. The United States Congress has ___ members. • 435 • 100 • 535 • 538 • 720

3. The Constitution specifies that members of the House must be __ years of age and Senators must be at least ___ years of age. • 25:35 • 35:45 • 18:25 • 30:50 • 25:30

4. House incumbents tend to be more vulnerable in election contests than Senate incumbents. • True • False

5. Descriptive Representation refers to • Representing the interests of groups. • Serving constituents through pork barrel projects. • Representing constituents by mirroring their personal, politically relevant characteristics. • Living in the geographic area of one’s constituents. • All of the above.

6. F_L_B_S_E_ • R T I I U • E L U I C • J O C I E • H A I A F

7. Which of the following statements about political action committees is false? • PAC’s contribute about ¼ of the funds raised by candidates for Congress. • PAC’s sometimes make contributions after an election. • Challengers receive more PAC money than incumbents. • PAC’s make contributions to candidates because they want access to policymakers. • None of the above.

8. Helping a constituent obtain a Social Security check is a form of casework. • True • False

9. Members of Congress use their virtually unlimited franking privileges to • Pay staff salaries. • Travel to their home states and districts. • Hire interns. • Communicate with constituents. • Get research from the Library of Congress.

10. C_M_I_T_E C_A_R_ • O N W U I V N • U A L D I V B • E D O A G W T • S E H M O T I

11. Federal grants and contracts that members of Congress try to obtain for their constituents are collectively referred to as • Pork barrel. • Casework. • Public service • Perquisites • Affirmative action. • Amicus curiae

12. Communism: distribution of goods and services :: Wesbury v Sanders : • Number of senators per state. • Number of representatives per square mile in a state. • Number of constituents per district. • Number of constituents per district of voting age. • Eleven herbs and spices.

13. In U.S. Term Limits vs Thornton the Supreme Court ruled that • State imposed term limits were constitutional. • State imposed term limits were unconstitutional. • States were required to limit the terms of members of Congress. • State imposed term limits were constitutional, but only if they permitted members of Congress to serve at least three consecutive terms. • State imposed term limits were constitutional, but only if they permitted members of Congress to serve at least four consecutive terms.

14. The Rules Committee is unique to the House. • True • False

15. A bicameral legislature is one that • Uses committees. • Has two houses. • Is elected. • Holds biannual sessions. • Is reelected every two years.

16. Committee : not reporting a bill out of committee :: President : • Signs a bill • Uses the line item veto. • Uses the pocket veto. • Creates a bipartisan commission to look into a serious issue.

17. Articles of impeachment must be passed by • Either the House or the Senate. • Both the House and the Senate. • The Senate. • The House. • The Supreme Court.

18. C_U_U_ • U B J • P B A • C A S • P E W

19. Setting the legislative agenda in the Senate is the responsibility of • The Rule Committee. • The President of the Senate. • Party Leaders. • The Minority Leader. • The Speaker.

20. The most powerful leader in Congress is the Speaker of the House. • True • False

21. What is the Vice President’s only constitutionally defined job? • President of the Senate • Majority Leader • Party Whip • Minority Leader • Speaker of the House • They have none, it is a tradition.

22. The Government Accountability Office • Performs oversight functions by reviewing the activities of executive branch to ensure it is complying with congressional intent. • Sets government standards for accounting, provides legal opinions, and settles claims against the government. • Analyzes the president’s budget and makes economic projections about the performance of the economy. • Both a and b • All of the above

23. J_I_T C_M_I_TE_ • E M T O N O • K U A T C A • Y F A O I M • J O R I I W

24. Members of Congress seek committees that will help them achieve each of the following goals except • Reelection. • Influence in Congress. • A salary increase. • Opportunities to make policy in areas they think are important. • Opportunities to make policy in areas important to their constituents.

25. The House of Representatives is more institutionalized, centralized and hierarchical than the Senate. • True • False

26. Congressional reforms of the 1970’s • Professionalized the operation of Congress and made it much more efficient. • Decentralized power and democratized Congress. • Were aimed at rooting out scandal and corruption. • Ended the two-party monopoly of Congress and brought new parties into Congress. • All of the above.

27. polls: political opinion :: delegate: • Their own opinions • The opinions of their constituents • The party’s pressure to stay in line • The desire to ride the President’s coattails.

28. Personal staff help members of Congress with • Constituent problems. • Drafting legislation. • Negotiating agreements. • All of the above • None of the above

29. _ _R_Y_A_D_R_N_ • M I O O R R K H • E E N G I M R G • P I P F U U B D • B N E U Y I N F

30. Successful presidential leadership of Congress requires • Congress and the president to belong to the same political party. • The president to act as a facilitator, working at the margins of coalition building. • A powerful president able to convince members of the Congress to follow his policy program. • Presidents to successfully lobby members of Congress to vote for the president’s program. • Strict control over the president’s party members.

31. Select committees have membership drawn from both houses of Congress. • True • False

32. When voting on labor issues • Democrats lead toward the side of unions. • Republicans lean toward the side of unions. • Democrats lean toward the side of business. • Republicans lead toward the side of business. • Both a and d

33. Boss : Hours each employee receives :: Speaker : • Bills presented to Congress • Salaries of Congress members • Number of interns • a bill’s appointment to a committee • Number of PACs that visit a congress member

34. The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke favored the concept of legislators as _____ using their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people. • Constituent robots • Trustees • Instructed delegates • Politicos • Judges

35. Oversight does not give Congress any real power to pressure agencies to comply with their wishes. • True • False

36. Bernie Madoff: Ponzi Scheme:: Jack Abramoff : • 80’s hair metal • Bribery scandals • Inappropriate relationships with minors • Bathroom solicitation • Prostitution cover ups