Question 1

The oversight responsibility of Congress is

Accepted Answer

A)  relatively easy to carry out.
B)  becoming less and less important to the nation.
C)  more interesting to most legislators than policy making responsibilities.
D)  the most time-consuming task for most legislators.
E)  None of these answers is correct.F) B) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 2

Compared to House incumbents,Senate incumbents are more likely to face the problem of

Accepted Answer

A)  raising enough money to run a strong campaign.
B)  an electorate that is inclined to judge their fitness for reelection in the context of pork-barrel legislation and other favors for the local community.
C)  a strong challenger.
D)  name recognition.
E)  All of these answers are correct.F) B) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 3

In the 1970s,roll-call votes

Accepted Answer

A)  generally demonstrated the power of incumbents.
B)  generally demonstrated an increase in party loyalty.
C)  generally did not pit most Republicans against most Democrats.
D)  were less common than voice votes.
E)  were generally not used to record each member's vote.F) C) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 4

Why do congressional incumbents have such a high rate of reelection?

Accepted Answer

Incumbents have a great advantage in con...

Question 5

To override a presidential veto,Congress must vote by

Accepted Answer

A)  a simple majority.
B)  a three-fifths majority.
C)  a two-thirds majority.
D)  a four-fifths majority.
E)  a simple majority in the House and a three-fifths majority in the Senate.F) None of the above
G) B) and C)

Question 6

The dominant policymaking political institution during most of the nineteenth century was

Accepted Answer

A)  the president and the executive branch.
B)  Congress.
C)  the Supreme Court.
D)  the bureaucracy.
E)  the mass media.F) B) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 7

In initiating broad legislative proposals,the president enjoys all the following advantages over Congress EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  the president being more likely to take a national perspective on policy issues.
B)  the president being granted more authority by the Constitution in the area of lawmaking.
C)  the president's actions receiving more attention overall from the national media.
D)  the president having the authority to make policy decisions even when there are conflicting views within the executive branch,while congressional leaders cannot impose their views on other members who disagree with them.
E)  a lack of fragmentation.F) B) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 8

Redistricting

Accepted Answer

A)  happens every 4 years.
B)  is conducted by state legislatures.
C)  must be approved by Congress.
D)  must be approved by the highest court in each state.
E)  has little appreciable effect on who wins or loses congressional races.F) A) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 9

In an average election,about 1 in __ House seats is a truly competitive election.

Accepted Answer

A)  2
B)  3
C)  4
D)  5
E)  6F) B) and C)
G) B) and D)

Question 10

In Beyond Ideology,political scientist Frances Lee shows that

Accepted Answer

A)  the number of bills passed each year by Congress has dropped dramatically from year to year because of partisan gridlock.
B)  lawmakers generally avoid partisan negotiations or attacks when dealing with low-stakes issues in order to get more business done.
C)  the congressional agenda is less and less shaped by partisan consideration rather than reelection priorities.
D)  even on low-stake issues,lawmakers exploit negotiation and floor debate to attack opponents and promote their party's image.
E)  the congressional agenda is increasingly shaped by policy priorities rather than partisan consideration.F) None of the above
G) D) and E)

Question 11

By and large,partisanship is

Accepted Answer

A)  irrelevant to the work of Congress.
B)  a huge source of both cohesion and division within Congress.
C)  relevant only in the context of local representation.
D)  important in lawmaking and representation but not in oversight.
E)  more important in foreign policy than in domestic policy.Essay QuestionsF) C) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 12

Compared with the Senate majority leader,the Speaker of the House has more power because

Accepted Answer

A)  the House places more limits on debate.
B)  the House is the larger chamber in terms of membership.
C)  the House has less of a tradition as a chamber of equals.
D)  the Speaker is that chamber's presiding officer.
E)  All of these answers are correct.F) A) and C)
G) B) and D)

Question 13

Congressional staffers spend most of their time on

Accepted Answer

A)  constituency service and legislative matters.
B)  legislative matters.
C)  constituency service and public relations.
D)  legislative matters and constituency service.
E)  public relations.F) A) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 14

Legislation whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is

Accepted Answer

A)  pork-barrel legislation.
B)  logrolling.
C)  gerrymandering.
D)  private legislation.
E)  public interest legislation.F) None of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 15

Approximately __ percent of House incumbents win reelection.

Accepted Answer

A)  57
B)  65
C)  74
D)  82
E)  92F) All of the above
G) C) and D)

Question 16

Committees kill more than ________ percent of the bills submitted in Congress.

Accepted Answer

A)  10
B)  25
C)  40
D)  66
E)  90F) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 17

Most of the work on legislation in Congress is done

Accepted Answer

A)  by committees and their respective subcommittees.
B)  on the floor of the House and Senate.
C)  by conference committees.
D)  by the president.
E)  by bureaucratic agencies.F) A) and B)
G) A) and E)

Question 18

"Mark up" of a bill means that

Accepted Answer

A)  a president has crossed out sections of the bill that he or she finds personally objectionable.
B)  a bill has been approved after floor debate has finished.
C)  witnesses at committee hearings suggest modifications of the bill.
D)  the House Speaker and Senate majority leader have written a bill in a way that they favor.
E)  None of these answers is correct.F) D) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 19

Since the founding of the United States,the debate over the representation function of Congress has centered on whether

Accepted Answer

A)  key decisions should be made by a small number of representatives in committee or by the whole membership in floor debate.
B)  the primary concern of a representative should be the interests of the nation or of his or her constituency.
C)  congressional or presidential authority should dominate on broad issues.
D)  the House or the Senate is more responsive to the public.
E)  the House or the Senate should take the lead on foreign policy issues.F) C) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 20

What is the BIGGEST reason that Congress does not vigorously pursue its oversight function?

Accepted Answer

A)  the sheer magnitude of the task
B)  its inadequacy as a means to control the bureaucracy
C)  its inadequacy as a means to control the power of the president
D)  its inadequacy as a way to generate publicity for members of Congress
E)  its inadequacy as a means to control the judiciaryF) C) and D)
G) B) and E)

Exam 11: Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests

Legislation whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is

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Since the founding of the United States,the debate over the representation function of Congress has centered on whether

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In Beyond Ideology,political scientist Frances Lee shows that

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In an average election,about 1 in __ House seats is a truly competitive election.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Compared to House incumbents,Senate incumbents are more likely to face the problem of

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Why do congressional incumbents have such a high rate of reelection?

Correct AnswerverifiedIncumbents have a great advantage in con...View AnswerShow Answer

In initiating broad legislative proposals,the president enjoys all the following advantages over Congress EXCEPT

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Compared with the Senate majority leader,the Speaker of the House has more power because

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To override a presidential veto,Congress must vote by

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Most of the work on legislation in Congress is done

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The oversight responsibility of Congress is

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"Mark up" of a bill means that

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By and large,partisanship is

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Congressional staffers spend most of their time on

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What is the BIGGEST reason that Congress does not vigorously pursue its oversight function?

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Committees kill more than ________ percent of the bills submitted in Congress.

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In the 1970s,roll-call votes

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Redistricting

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Approximately __ percent of House incumbents win reelection.

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The dominant policymaking political institution during most of the nineteenth century was

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Incumbents have a great advantage in con...
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