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US Government Congressional Procedures Political Systems American Politics

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This document contains a collection of US Government past paper questions examining various topics related to the US political system. The questions cover topics such as the roles of Congress in the US federal system, legislation, and political processes, helping students to understand and study the subject matter.

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Question 1 1 / 1 pts Which of the following is a way Congress can influence the federal judiciary? It can prohibit judicial activism It can filibuster decisions made by courts It can change appellate jurisdiction of federal courts It can review federal judges for reappointment every ten ye...

Question 1 1 / 1 pts Which of the following is a way Congress can influence the federal judiciary? It can prohibit judicial activism It can filibuster decisions made by courts It can change appellate jurisdiction of federal courts It can review federal judges for reappointment every ten years Question 2 1 / 1 pts In deciding Baker v Carr (1962), the Supreme Court acknowledged what important ability? states to draw legislative districts as they saw fit with relatively few rules regarding size & shape the power of Congress to overrule states when redrawing federal legislative districts, but not the state legislative districts the Court’s ability to hear cases regarding legislative district drawing as opposed to only leaving them up to states to resolve issues the Court's ability to only deal with cases directly questioning the criteria on which districts were drawn, not the size or shape of districts Question 3 1 / 1 pts Which of the following is a correct statement about the federal government’s role in interstate commerce? The federal government’s role is limited to regulating commerce transported on interstate waterways such as the Mississippi River The federal government’s role is limited to regulating activities that may lead to federal crimes The federal government’s role is limited to regulating the transport of agricultural goods The federal government’s role has been greatly expanded through the court’s interpretation of the interstate commerce clause Question 4 1 / 1 pts Shaw v Reno restricted the actions of state legislatures by prohibiting denying the “one person, one vote” guarantee drawing legislative districts to benefit the party in power setting rules for reapportionment not approved by the justice Department drawing legislative districts based solely on race Question 5 1 / 1 pts Which of the following actions by a congressional representative is an example of “pork barreling”? Directing federal funds into the representative’s district through legislation Accepting money from a political action committee (PAC) Attempting to kill a bill with unacceptable amendments Misusing campaign contributions Question 6 1 / 1 pts Congressional oversight refers to the power of Congress to exercise some supervision & control over executive agencies override presidential vetoes hold public hearings before confirming judicial appointees allow nongovernmental agencies to defend or refute pending legislation publicly Question 7 1 / 1 pts Legislator Smith votes for a colleague’s bill with the expectation that the colleague will vote in turn for a measure favored by Legislator Smith. This practice is called tit for tat back scratching logrolling fair trade Question 8 1 / 1 pts The most notable of all the powers of the House is to author all bills for raising revenues answering constituent mail convicting and removing the President appointing members to committees Question 9 1 / 1 pts "Both chambers have put our best ideas forward—and now we will build off our ideas in a conference committee," Mr. Brady said. "I am honored to chair this committee and look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues and the White House to strengthen our ideas and ensure our bill improves the lives of all Americans." The House conferees also include members of the Natural Resources and Energy and Commerce committees. They weren't involved in the original bill, but the health-care and oil-drilling pieces of the Senate bill are in play now. They are Rob Bishop (R., Utah)., Don Young (R., Alaska), Greg Walden (R., Ore.) and John Shimkus (R., Ill.). The Democratic conferees are Reps. Richard Neal (D., Mass)., Rep. Sander Levin (D., Mich.), Lloyd Doggett (D., Texas), Raul Grijalva (D., Ariz.) and Kathy Castor (D., Fla.). The Senate is expected to name its conferees later in the week. The final conference report must be signed by a majority of House conferees and a majority of Senate conferees. The resulting bill will then be subject to fresh votes in the House and Senate. If past conferences are prologue, the final deal will likely be cut by Republicans in closed-door meetings. --Rubin, Richard. “Today in Taxes: Conference Committees Take Shape.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 22 Dec. 2017 What has been the likely scenario prompting the necessity for the above statement? the president has vetoed a bill & SENT IT BACK TO Congress for reconsideration a bill has been passed by both chambers but with amendments added by the House that the Senate did not approve the Congress is debating whether to attempt a veto override the Senate has passed the bill but the House Rules Committee has not released it to the floor for debate Question 10 1 / 1 pts "Both chambers have put our best ideas forward—and now we will build off our ideas in a conference committee," Mr. Brady said. "I am honored to chair this committee and look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues and the White House to strengthen our ideas and ensure our bill improves the lives of all Americans." The House conferees also include members of the Natural Resources and Energy and Commerce committees. They weren't involved in the original bill, but the health-care and oil-drilling pieces of the Senate bill are in play now. They are Rob Bishop (R., Utah)., Don Young (R., Alaska), Greg Walden (R., Ore.) and John Shimkus (R., Ill.). The Democratic conferees are Reps. Richard Neal (D., Mass)., Rep. Sander Levin (D., Mich.), Lloyd Doggett (D., Texas), Raul Grijalva (D., Ariz.) and Kathy Castor (D., Fla.). The Senate is expected to name its conferees later in the week. The final conference report must be signed by a majority of House conferees and a majority of Senate conferees. The resulting bill will then be subject to fresh votes in the House and Senate. If past conferences are prologue, the final deal will likely be cut by Republicans in closed-door meetings. --Rubin, Richard. “Today in Taxes: Conference Committees Take Shape.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 22 Dec. 2017 Given the history of conference committee actions, what is the most likely result for this bill? most of the committee members will have a cage fight to the death & the bill will fail, special elections will be held, & the wheels of government will be lubricated with the blood of the weak there will be no compromise & the bill will fail if the committee signs a compromise, the Congress will approve & send it to the president the Senate will pass the compromise but the House Rules Committee will refuse to report it to the floor Question 11 1 / 1 pts Debate of a bill in the House of Representatives under a "closed rule" means that the bill can only be amended by section debate on the bill will consist of five-minute speeches, pro & con only senior members are allowed to participate amendments cannot be offered Question 12 1 / 1 pts The main purpose of Federalist 10 is to justify what aspect of the new government? the need for the new Congress to have greater taxation powers the overall need for a strong representative body the benefit that factions bring to the new political system the importance of members of Congress to act in the delegate role Question 13 1 / 1 pts Which of the following is a debate related power held by the Senate? approval of presidential nominees ratification of treaties the ability to filibuster the ability to remove the president after impeachment Question 14 1 / 1 pts Congressional standing committees are best described as specially appointed investigative bodies advisory staff agencies permanent subject-matter based committees joint committees of the two houses of Congress Question 15 1 / 1 pts Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following? their political party’s most recent platform their judgment of what is best for their constituency the preferences of a majority of their constituents the instructions of their political party’s leadership Question 16 1 / 1 pts In which of the following did Congress move to regain a tighter hold on powers previously lost to the executive branch? Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act Budget & Impoundment Control Act Persian Gulf War Resolution Question 17 1 / 1 pts The War Powers Resolution does which of the following? requires that the president notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops requires that Congress report to the president before it cuts military appropriations allows the National Security Council to conduct military operations if the president is incapacitated gives the president the power to declare war Question 18 1 / 1 pts The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because the seniority system is so weak in the House that committees play a larger role the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor committee members are appointed by the President Question 19 1 / 1 pts “Pork barrel" legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because such legislation helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district prevents other candidates from claiming that the member of Congress is too liberal for his or her district attracts campaign contributions from ideological political action committees (PACs) gives the member of Congress national standing & coverage on national television Question 20 1 / 1 pts One of the formal tools used by Congress for oversight of the bureaucracy is authorization of spending the line-item veto senatorial courtesy private bills Question 21 1 / 1 pts Which of the following form an “iron triangle?” interest group, Senate majority leader, house majority leader executive department, House majority leader, president executive department, Congressional committee, interest group president, House majority leader, Senate majority leader Question 22 1 / 1 pts The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by the director of the United States Census Bureau the state legislatures a conference committee of the House and Senate the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Question 23 1 / 1 pts Which of the following best pairs the filibuster & cloture? Filibuster Cloture A Allows for debate in the House to Allows debate to continue in the Senate continue until cut off by the Rules until cut off by a floor vote Committee B Provides the minority party a way to Requires a degree of compromise prevent a vote between majority & minority parties to gain enough votes to end debate C Is frequently used to kill legislation Almost always enacted before a filibuster can get started D Historically a Senate tool Requires 60 votes for ANY action taken by the Senate, including nominations & legislation D C B A Question 24 1 / 1 pts The data displayed in the table above best support which of the following statements? The reelection rate is higher in the Senate than in the House The average vote won by Senate members surpasses that won by House members House seats are safer from election turnover than are Senate seats House members serve more terms than do Senators Question 25 1 / 1 pts “The Congress shall have power...to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.” -- The U.S. Constitution Interpretations of this clause have been central to debates over which important feature of our political system? Pluralism Republicanism Judicial review Federalism Question 26 1 / 1 pts The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings? Legislative hearings A subcommittee The majority leader's office A party caucus Question 27 1 / 1 pts Most of the bills introduced in the House and the Senate are then passed by both chambers but vetoed by the President passed by one chamber but not the other referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress voted down during the amendment stage of the floor debate Question 28 1 / 1 pts The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives rests on its authority to initiate all spending legislation & hold budget hearings determine the procedures by which nominations by the president will be approved by the House choose the chairs of other standing committees & issue rules for the selection of subcommittee chairs place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate, & determine the type of amendments allowed Question 29 1 / 1 pts All of the following are reasons incumbents in the House of Representatives enjoy an electoral advantage over challengers EXCEPT that incumbents can use staff members to do constituent service are better known to voters than are challengers find it much easier to raise campaign funds than do challengers always get substantial financial support from their party's national committee Question 30 1 / 1 pts Which is an accurate comparison of the two houses of Congress? House of Representatives Senate A Represents broad constituencies Represents more homogenous constituencies B Operates on a more rigid, Is not bound by strict rules in debate or rules-based system voting C Was originally most responsive to Has always been closely tied to the people state concerns D Provides for states of different sizes Allows different degrees of influence for to operate with parity different states A B D C Question 31 1 / 1 pts As the _______________ Mike Johnson has the duty to maintain order & preside of floor action, but also further his/her party’s agenda within the rules. House Majority Leader Speaker of the House President of the Senate Senate Pro Tempore Incorrect Question 32 Original Score: 1 / 1 pts Regraded Score: 1 / 1 pts This question has been regraded. In his/her role as ________________, Richard Durbin is responsible for the hands-on organization of Republican votes on the floor of the Senate. Minority Whip Majority Leader Majority Whip Minority Leader Question 33 1 / 1 pts As the Senate ________________ is the most powerful/influential member of the upper chamber of Congress. Majority Whip President President Pro Tempore Majority Leader Question 34 1 / 1 pts Tennessee’s Congressional delegation includes all of the following EXCEPT… Governor Bill Lee (pick this one. It's the right answer. I promise. No really. This one.) Diana Harshbarger Bill Hagerty Marsha Blackburn Question 35 1 / 1 pts Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is NOT accurate? it is allowable to draw districts based ont he race of voters but not the party affiliation it generally results in a safe seat that a party can easily keep each election It can be accomplished by packing voters of one party into a district It can be done by cracking a bloc of voters between districts Question 36 1 / 1 pts RED- House of Representatives BLUE- Senate Based on the graph, which statement about incumbency is most accurate? Incumbents often leave office at the end of their term Incumbents have very different chances of reelection depending on the chamber they serve in Incumbents only leave office when pressured by party leadership Incumbents are prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from interest group members Question 37 1 / 1 pts Based on the graph, how might federal term limits affect the makeup of Congress? There are more open seat elections with there are no term limits Candidates face more opposition when there are term limits Election turn out is higher with term limits People have more faith in first time candidates Question 38 1 / 1 pts Which of the following statements might be made by a critic of term limits? Less experienced legislators are not jaded by gridlock in Congress Incumbents begin to take their reelection for granted Representatives are better able to represent their districts only after several terms Legislators with limited time in office won’t seek or be able to gain institutional knowledge Question 39 1 / 1 pts Which of the following statements about Congressional member caucuses is most accurate? They only take campaign contributions from individuals like themselves They are often made up of members of one political party It is rare for people with a common interest to form a caucus They are essentially interest groups within Congress and can have significant influence over legislation Question 40 1 / 1 pts Which of the following is the cartoonist’s main argument? More lobbyists have been elected to Congress than ever before Interest groups play too big a role in policy making Interest groups only represent controversial issues Congressmen have a diverse set of interests to represent Question 41 1 / 1 pts “Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall… proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a law…. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it…” --Article I, Section 7, U.S. Constitution, 1787 According to the Constitution, how can a bill become a law without the president’s signature? The Vice President can sign it as the president of the Senate Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 vote in both houses Congress can demand a bill become a law if a majority of both houses voted for it Congressional committees can sign bills into law Question 42 1 / 1 pts What is a good example of congressional casework? Giving political speeches at a political party Helping a constituent negotiate the benefits process with the Veterans Administration Analysis of an incumbent’s policy positions prior to a debate Analysis of water quality within a district Question 43 1 / 1 pts As advocated by English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke, which concept describes legislators as people who use their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people? partisans delegates politicos trustees Question 44 1 / 1 pts Congress missed the fact that various agencies with responsibility for supervising the banking industry were negligent in identifying looming financial problems that led to the recession of 2008–2009. This suggests a failure of __________. the seniority system the informal organization of Congress oversight jurisdiction fragmentation Question 45 1 / 1 pts Why might incumbents want to deemphasize their policy positions during a reelection campaign? Having clear policy positions makes it harder to attract campaign contributions from interest groups If their previous support for that policy aligns them with a president who is polling low among Americans Stressing policy positions makes voters more uncertain about where the candidate stands on important issues Voters do not like feeling patronized by discussing policies they are already fully aware of

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