Congressional Membership Overview PDF

Congressional Membership Overview Your Name: 1. What is the total number of representatives in the House? A. 300 B. 400 C. 435 D. 500 2. Senators serve 2-year terms. A. True B. False 3. What is gerrymandering? 4. How many years must a senator be a citizen of the United States?...

Congressional Membership Overview Your Name: 1. What is the total number of representatives in the House? A. 300 B. 400 C. 435 D. 500 2. Senators serve 2-year terms. A. True B. False 3. What is gerrymandering? 4. How many years must a senator be a citizen of the United States? 5. Who is the most powerful leader in the House? A. Minority Leader B. Majority Leader C. President pro tempore D. Speaker of the House 6. What is the minimum number of members needed for a quorum in the House? A. 200 B. 150 C. 218 D. 250 7. What does the 27th Amendment state? A. Congress may not change its salary. B. Congress can give itself a raise. C. Congress must approve the President's budget. D. Congress can't give itself a raise until the next election. 8. The House is composed of.................................................. elected representatives. 9. The Senate has 2 representatives per state. A. True B. False 10. What is the primary responsibility of congressional committees? 11. What role does the Senate Majority Leader play? A. Prepares the annual budget B. Handles public surveys C. Invents new laws D. Steers bills and unites party members 12. What is the term length for members of the House of Representatives? A. One year B. Four years C. Six years D. Two years 13. What is required for filling a vacancy in the House during the first session of Congress? A. Special election must be held B. Appointment by the governor C. No action needed, seat remains vacant D. Selection by the House leadership 14. Which of the following is NOT a requirement to be elected to the House of Representatives? A. Hold a college degree B. Legal resident of the state electing them C. At least 25 years old D. Citizen of the United States for at least 7 years 15. How often must all members of the House run for reelection? A. Every year B. Every four years C. Every two years D. Every six years 16. What is the process called that involves redrawing congressional district boundaries? A. District Planning B. Boundary Adjustment C. Reapportionment D. Redistricting 17. Which statement best describes the continuity of the House of Representatives? A. The House is restructured every year B. Less than 50% of representatives are reelected C. Most representatives serve indefinite terms D. Over 90% of representatives are typically reelected 18. When do representatives officially begin their term of office after being elected? A. March 3 following the election B. January 3 following the election C. November 1 following the election D. January 1 of the following year 19. What stipulation does the Constitution include regarding House representation for states? A. The number of representatives is fixed at 300 B. Each state must have at least two representatives C. House seats must be apportioned based on territory size D. Each state is entitled to at least one representative 20. What is the primary role of an administrative assistant (AA) for a lawmaker? A. To run the lawmaker's office and manage their schedule B. To attend committee meetings on behalf of the lawmaker C. To handle the lawmaker's public relations and speeches D. To draft bills and research legislative issues 21. What key function do legislative assistants (LAs) perform for lawmakers? A. Ensure lawmakers are informed about bills and legislative matters B. Supervise the office staff and budget allocation C. Manage interactions with constituents and lobbyists D. Conduct public opinion surveys and analyze data 22. Which of the following statements is true about personal staff in Congress? A. Senators have personal staff expenses based on state population. B. Lawmakers cannot change their personal staff at any time. C. House members do not have allowances for personal staff. D. All personal staff members work in Washington D.C. 23. Where do a significant number of personal staff members for House members work? A. Only in Washington D.C. B. Equally split between home states and Washington D.C. C. They primarily work from home D. In the lawmakers' home states 24. What is one of the responsibilities of legislative assistants during Congress meetings? A. To prepare the lawmaker's office budget B. To draft legislation without consulting the lawmaker C. To assist the lawmaker and prepare questions for meetings D. To represent the lawmaker in committee voting 25. What is the primary function of the Rules Committee in the legislative process? A. To draft new bills for introduction B. To determine how bills are debated and voted on C. To manage the overall budget of Congress D. To conduct investigations into Congressional misconduct 26. How does the Rules Committee assist in managing conflicts between House committees? A. By adjudicating and settling disputes between committees B. By assigning bills to specific committees based on seniority C. By consolidating committees into one to streamline decisions D. By rewriting disputed bills to satisfy all parties 27. What type of relationship is important for an administrative assistant to cultivate? A. Influential people in the lawmaker's district or state B. A competitive one with other lawmakers C. A neutral relationship with the media D. Close ties with lobbyists only 28. What do legislative assistants typically do to inform their lawmakers about legislation? A. Focus primarily on public relations and communication B. Research, draft bills, and study current legislative issues C. Manage the lawmaker's social media accounts D. Only attend committee meetings and relay information 29. What happens to major bills after they are approved by a committee? A. They are automatically placed on the voting agenda B. They are forwarded to the Rules Committee for further action C. They are sent to a special session of the Senate D. They go directly to the President for approval 30. How do the personal staff members assist lawmakers in their daily responsibilities? A. By independently drafting laws and proposals B. By replacing the lawmakers in voting processes C. By making major decisions on behalf of the lawmakers D. By managing their schedules and preparing necessary documents 31. What might the Rules Committee do with a bill that is not favored by House leaders or representatives? A. Introduce amendments before voting B. Schedule it for immediate debate C. Delay or block the bill from coming to a vote D. Send it back to the original committee for revision 32. What problem does the chairperson of the committee that sent the bill to the Rules Committee try to solve? A. Creating bipartisan support for the bill B. Moving the bill ahead of others on the calendar C. Preventing duplication of bills in the House D. Ensuring proper funding for the bill 33. Why did the American colonies have a degree of self- governance over 150 years after settling Jamestown? A. Due to the colonies being economically self-sufficient B. Because they had formed their own independent government C. Because communication with Great Britain was slow and difficult D. Due to a lack of interest from the British government 34. How did the economic relationship between the American colonies and Great Britain function? A. The colonies exported finished goods and relied on British raw materials B. The colonies were mostly self-sufficient and traded with other nations C. The colonies financed British wars through taxation D. The colonies supplied raw materials and imported finished products 35. What was one significant outcome of the colonies being over 3,000 miles away from Britain? A. Colonial governments had to make decisions on their own B. Colonists relied heavily on British military support C. British laws were rigorously applied without delay D. Colonists felt more loyal to the British government 36. What is the primary purpose of giving senators six- year terms? A. To increase the likelihood of partisan changes in the Senate. B. To ensure greater continuity in the Senate. C. To allow senators to focus on fundraising every two years. D. To limit the terms of senators for better turnover. 37. What occurs if a senator dies or resigns during their term? A. The state legislature may authorize the governor to appoint a replacement. B. The Senate seat remains vacant until the next election. C. A general election is held immediately to fill the vacancy. D. The president appoints a replacement for the remainder of the term. 38. What does the Twenty-seventh Amendment prevent Congress from doing? A. Changing salaries without public input. B. Using appropriated funds for personal expenses. C. Giving itself a pay raise effective until the next election. D. Reducing the salaries of its members. 39. Which of the following represents a privilege enjoyed by members of Congress? A. They cannot be sued for any statement made on the legislative floor. B. They can avoid all taxation on their income. C. They have unlimited access to government funds for personal use. D. They can be arrested for any crime within Congress. 40. Which statement about cost-of-living salary adjustments for Congress members is accurate? A. They can occur without any judicial review. B. They are subject to a separate legislative vote each year. C. They are entirely prohibited by the Twenty-seventh Amendment. D. They were ruled as allowed by the courts after the amendment's ratification. 41. What can Congress do regarding the qualifications of its members? A. Establish a national standard that applies to all members. B. Automatic reinstatement of members who fail qualification checks. C. Remove members based solely on public opinion. D. Judge and determine the qualifications of new members. 42. What is one of the benefits that members of Congress receive? A. A guaranteed salary increase every year. B. Pension benefits of $150,000 or more after retirement. C. Freedom from any form of taxation on members' salaries. D. Mandatory annual trips abroad funded by Congress. 43. What does the 'franking privilege' allow members of Congress to do? A. Send unlimited personal correspondence at government expense. B. Conduct private business using government resources. C. Distribute paid advertisements for campaigns. D. Mail official business communications without charge. 44. What is the main purpose of Congress as described in the content? A. To manage foreign relations exclusively. B. To serve as a courtroom for legal disputes. C. To provide advisory support to the President. D. To formulate and approve national policies. 45. Which statement about Congressional terms is accurate? A. Each term begins on January 1 of odd-numbered years. B. Each term lasts for one year. C. Congress can adjourn for more than three days without approval. D. Congress is in session for the entire two-year term. 46. What determines the number of representatives each state has in the House? A. The population of the state. B. Historical agreements from the Constitutional Convention. C. A fixed number set by the Constitution. D. The economic output of the state. 47. What is a requirement for someone to be elected as a representative in the House? A. They must be at least 30 years old. B. They must be a legal resident of the state for at least 5 years. C. They must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 7 years. D. They must have a college degree. 48. What significant role does the President have in relation to Congress? A. The President can call Congress back for a special session if adjourned. B. The President can dissolve Congress at any time. C. The President can veto all legislation passed by Congress. D. The President can decide the number of committees in Congress. 49. How does the membership size of the House of Representatives compare to that of the Senate? A. The House has the same number of members as the Senate. B. The House has more members than the Senate. C. The House has twice the number of members as the Senate. D. The Senate has more members than the House. 50. In what year does a new Congressional term begin? A. January 1 of even-numbered years. B. January 3 of even-numbered years. C. January 1 of odd-numbered years. D. January 3 of odd-numbered years. 51. Why do states receive at least one seat in the House of Representatives? A. To balance power between small and large states. B. To uphold historical precedents from the Articles of Confederation. C. To ensure every state has representation regardless of size. D. To encourage more states to join the Union. 52. Which case ruled that students' First Amendment rights can be limited in school newspapers? A. Roe v. Wade B. Texas v. Johnson C. Engel v. Vitale D. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier 53. What constitutional principle allows the government to limit citizens' rights during wartime? A. Executive Privilege B. Checks and Balances C. National Security D. Judicial Review 54. Which case determined that the death penalty is constitutional? A. Schenck v. United States B. Griswold v. Connecticut C. Gregg v. Georgia D. Roe v. Wade 55. What was established by the case United States v. Nixon? A. Every citizen has the right to appeal in federal courts. B. Presidents have complete immunity from judicial review. C. Executive privilege cannot withhold evidence. D. Presidents cannot be indicted. 56. Which case determined that flag burning is a constitutional form of free speech? A. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District B. Schenck v. United States C. Bethel School District v. Fraser D. Texas v. Johnson 57. In which case did the Supreme Court rule that students do not lose their First Amendment rights at school? A. Engel v. Vitale B. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier C. Bethel School District v. Fraser D. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District 58. What right is guaranteed to a person accused of a crime? A. The right to have a lawyer B. The right to confront witnesses C. The right to a jury trial D. The right to remain silent 59. What principle was ruled unconstitutional in the case related to separate schooling? A. Segregation B. Equal Protection Clause C. Executive Privilege D. Judicial Review 60. Which case established the principle of judicial review? A. Marbury v. Madison B. Brown v. Board of Education C. McCulloch v. Maryland D. Gibbons v. Ogden 61. What was the primary outcome of McCulloch v. Maryland? A. Individual states can impose taxes on federal entities. B. States can regulate interstate commerce. C. Access to public accommodations cannot be denied. D. The federal government has implied powers. 62. Which Supreme Court case dealt with the issue of segregation in public schools? A. Dred Scott v. Sanford B. Brown v. Board of Education C. Furman v. Georgia D. Plessy v. Ferguson 63. In which case did the Supreme Court rule that evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court? A. Mapp v. Ohio B. Miranda v. Arizona C. Gideon v. Wainwright D. Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education 64. Which case ruled that the establishment clause prohibits school-sponsored prayer? A. Korematsu v. United States B. Tinker v. Des Moines School District C. Engel v. Vitale D. Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States 65. What was established by the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision? A. The federal government can impose regulations on slavery. B. The rights of states supersede federal laws. C. States can ban slavery. D. Slaves are considered property and cannot sue. 66. Which case upheld the principle of 'separate but equal'? A. Sweatt v. Painter B. Brown v. Board of Education C. Plessy v. Ferguson D. Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States 67. Which landmark case affirmed the right to free speech for students in public schools? A. Gideon v. Wainwright B. Tinker v. Des Moines School District C. Miranda v. Arizona D. New Jersey v. T.L.O.