AP Government Unit 2 Quiz: Legislative Branch

<p>By challenging bureaucratic decisions in court for unconstitutionality. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Because they create rules with the force of law but are not elected. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bicameral, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Apportioned based on each state's population. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>House members serve two-year terms, while Senate members serve six-year terms. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It grants Congress implied powers to carry out its enumerated powers. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Declaring war. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Assigns representatives to committees and recognizes speakers. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Senate coalitions are generally more long-lasting than House coalitions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To enforce party discipline and ensure members vote along party lines. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Setting the legislative agenda and determining which bills reach the floor. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Senate allows unlimited debate, while the House has limited debate. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To bypass a house committee and bring a bill directly to the floor for a vote. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Faster legislative work. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A principle that requires districts to be roughly equal in population. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>That drawing districts based solely on race is unconstitutional. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To ensure party discipline and get members to vote with the party line. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Trustee model (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A 60-vote supermajority. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To direct the federal bureaucracy and military, carrying the force of federal law. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>When Congress adjourns within 10 days of sending a bill, and the president doesn't act, the bill is vetoed. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A tactic to stall a bill by speaking endlessly in the Senate. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To redraw congressional districts every 10 years based on new census data. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A written pronouncement by the President that details their interpretation of a law and how they plan to execute it. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The President appoints individuals, and the Senate must confirm these appointments. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>George Washington (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bully pulpit (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They review decisions made by lower courts. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The court's practice of following precedent and using previous decisions as a basis for current rulings. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The idea that the Court should establish policy and consider the broader societal impact of decisions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>By refusing to enforce court decisions and appointing new judges. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A strong, mutually beneficial relationship between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To create laws themselves. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They are regulatory groups, operating somewhat independently of the president but still part of the executive branch. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Department of Homeland Security (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Department of Veterans Affairs (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Department of Education (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of Congress, with 435 members representing districts within their states based on population.

The Senate is the second house of Congress, with 100 members, two from each state, representing the entire state.

The term "bicameral" refers to a legislative body with two separate houses, like the US Congress with the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Powers specifically given to Congress, like raising revenue, declaring war, and passing a federal budget are known as enumerated powers.

Powers not directly mentioned in the Constitution but implied by the Necessary and Proper Clause, allowing Congress to pass laws to carry out its enumerated powers, are called implied powers.

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, chosen by the majority party members and has significant power, including recognizing speakers and assigning members to committees.

The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate, but has no voting power except in a tie. The most senior member of the majority party fills in when the Vice President is absent, known as the President pro tempore.

Coalitions are groups formed in both houses of Congress for efficiency, with Senate coalitions lasting longer and House coalitions changing more frequently.

The Senate Majority Leader sets the legislative agenda, determining which bills reach the floor.

Whips in both houses ensure party discipline, getting members to vote with the party line.

Most legislative work is done in committees.

Committees are not required by the Constitution but are necessary for efficient legislative processing.

Permanent committees that handle specific legislative areas (e.g., budget, judiciary)

Members from both the House and Senate working together.

Temporary, created for a specific purpose (e.g., Watergate scandal).

Reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill.

The House has limited debate, with the House Rules Committee deciding which bills reach the floor.

The Senate has relaxed debate rules, allowing unlimited time.

A senator can stall a bill by speaking endlessly.

Requires a 60-vote supermajority to end a filibuster.

Allows a majority of the House to bring a bill out of a stalled committee and onto the floor.

Allows legislation to move efficiently if all senators agree to limit debate.

A senator can object to a bill, stalling it.

The President appoints and can fire cabinet and agency heads, but can't fire regulatory commission heads; however, they often appoint leaders sympathetic to their goals.

Congress holds hearings to make sure agencies are following the law properly and allocates funding through the power of the purse.

The President can order reviews of agency missions and goals.

Citizens can take bureaucratic decisions to court if they believe they violate the Constitution.

The bureaucracy's independence is controversial because they make rules with the power of law, but they aren't elected officials.

Written pronouncements by the President accompanying the signing of a bill into law, detailing the executive branch's interpretation of the law and how the President intends to execute it.

The President appoints individuals to various positions, including cabinet members, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate must confirm these appointments. Nominations can be controversial, especially if they clash with the Senate's priorities.

Supreme Court nominations are highly contentious due to the long-term impact of a judge's tenure, often leading to partisan conflict, as conservative presidents appoint conservative judges and vice versa.

The scope of presidential power has expanded significantly throughout U.S. history. Early presidents, like George Washington, deferred to Congress. Andrew Jackson expanded the powers of the executive office, arguing the President represents the people, not Congress.

Abraham Lincoln assumed unprecedented power during the Civil War, including suspending the right of habeas corpus. Franklin D. Roosevelt further expanded executive power during the Great Depression, using the veto extensively and pushing for New Deal programs.

Teddy Roosevelt coined the term "bully pulpit" to describe the President's ability to use their national platform to influence public opinion and shape legislation. With the advent of radio, television, and social media, the bully pulpit has evolved, allowing presidents to communicate directly with the people, often bypassing traditional news media.

The federal court system has three levels: District Courts (94 courts with original jurisdiction, hearing cases for the first time), Circuit Courts of Appeals (12 courts with appellate jurisdiction, reviewing decisions from lower courts), and the Supreme Court (the highest court, with both original and appellate jurisdiction).

This essay by Alexander Hamilton argued for the independence of the judiciary, including lifetime appointments for judges, to ensure they can rule impartially without fear of political pressure.

Established the principle of judicial review, granting the Supreme Court the power to declare laws constitutional or unconstitutional.

Means "let the decision stand," and the Supreme Court often follows precedent, meaning it uses previous decisions to guide its rulings. While precedent is generally binding, the Supreme Court can overturn precedent in rare cases.

The idea that the Court should establish policy and consider the broader societal impact of decisions beyond just constitutionality. Brown v. Board of Education is an example.

The idea that judges should not make policy, as that is the role of the legislature. Judges should only strike down a law if it violates the explicit wording of the Constitution.

Presidents appoint judges who align with their political ideology, often leading to debates about the Court's political influence.

The bureaucracy is a part of the executive branch, comprised of millions of employees who carry out government responsibilities.