Question 1

A permanent legislative committee that considers legislation within its designated subject area is known as a ____________.

Accepted Answer

A standing committee is a permanent legislative committee that considers legislation within its designated subject area.

Question 2

Legislation is frequently written to be inclusive, spreading the benefits widely among beneficiaries according to the principle of:

Accepted Answer

Distributive tendency refers to the practice of spreading benefits widely among various groups to ensure broad support and acceptance.

Question 3

A bill's supporters generally prefer that the Rules Committee decide to use a(n) ___________ rule.

Accepted Answer

Supporters of a bill generally prefer a closed rule because it limits the ability of opponents to amend the bill, making it easier to pass in its original form.

Question 4

When a congressional representative says to a legislative colleague, "I'll support your bill if you'll support mine," that statement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Logrolling is the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation.

Question 5

Most representatives serve exclusively as either delegates or trustees, ones who vote according to constituency preferences or, by contrast, for what representatives think "right."

Accepted Answer

Representatives often act as both delegates and trustees, depending on the issue, balancing constituency preferences with their own judgment.

Question 6

In recent years, after decades in which presidents took the lead in setting policy agendas, congressional leaders have been setting their own, especially during:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In recent years, after decades in which...

Question 7

The U.S.Congress's constituency-focused, representative nature leads it to, in most cases, quickly and efficiently address national issues.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Congress often faces challenges in quickly addressing national issues due to its structure, which emphasizes representation and can lead to partisan gridlock and lengthy deliberations.

Question 8

Since the early 1970s, how have House committee chairs been selected?

Accepted Answer

Since the early 1970s, House committee chairs have been selected by an election among the members of the majority party, but seniority still plays a significant role, with senior members often being more likely to win selection.

Question 9

The provision by the House Rules Committee that permits floor debate and the addition of amendments to a bill is a(n):

Accepted Answer

An open rule allows for floor debate and the addition of amendments to a bill, providing flexibility in the legislative process.

Question 10

A representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituency acts as a delegate.

Accepted Answer

A delegate represents the interests and opinions of their constituency, and thus votes in accordance with their preferences, rather than their own personal beliefs or values.

Question 11

What is the area of policy over which a committee is assigned responsibility?

Accepted Answer

The term "jurisdiction" refers to the area of policy or the range of issues over which a committee or authority has responsibility and the power to make decisions.

Question 12

In 2018, a congressional committee briefly captured media and public attention when it questioned Facebook executive and cofounder Mark Zuckerberg about the privacy of its user data, in the wake of reports that a British research company had abused data in private research related to the 2016 presidential election.In so doing, the committee discussed past and ongoing data privacy-related actions undertaken against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission.As it involved not only a celebrity witness, but a federal agency's duties and actions under the law, the hearing was a classic case of a House committee engaged in:

Accepted Answer

The hearing was an example of congressional oversight, where a committee reviews and monitors the actions of a federal agency and its compliance with the law.

Question 13

A rule allowing a three-fifths majority of U.S.senators to set a time limit on debate over a given bill, or cut off a filibuster, is called:

Accepted Answer

Cloture is the procedure used in the U.S. Senate to end a filibuster or limit debate on a bill, requiring a three-fifths majority vote.

Question 14

A joint committee created to iron out differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill is called:

Accepted Answer

A conference committee is a joint committee created to iron out differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill.

Question 15

The fate of most House and Senate bills is to die in committee.This means that they will:

Accepted Answer

Most bills die in committee because they are not approved or prioritized to be sent to the full House or Senate for further consideration and voting.

Question 16

Imagine you are a member of Congress and have sponsored a controversial piece of legislation overhauling the immigration system.The bill has made it through committee and has the support of leaders from both parties, but many of your colleagues are opposed to various provisions in the bill and would like to see substantial changes.What would you like to happen to ensure the bill is voted upon as originally drafted?

Accepted Answer

A closed rule limits or prohibits amendments to the bill, ensuring it is voted upon as originally drafted without substantial changes.

Question 17

Saying that an American president has been impeached would mean that the executive has been:

Accepted Answer

Impeachment by the House of Representatives means that the president has been formally charged with misconduct. It is not the removal from office; that occurs only if the Senate subsequently convicts the president in a trial.

Question 18

The Senate rarely exercises its power to formally approve or reject treaties or presidential appointments to executive positions, the judiciary, or ambassadorships.More common is use of a ______________ to delay an appointment.

Accepted Answer

A senatorial hold is a procedure where one or more Senators can prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor, effectively delaying an appointment.

Question 19

In 2012, the Government Accountability Office, through which Congress can investigate the financial and administrative affairs of any government agency or program, uncovered evidence of lavish spending at conferences by administrators of the U.S.General Services Administration, the government's real estate and office services and supply agency.In so doing, this staff agency helped Congress in its _________ role.

Accepted Answer

The Government Accountability Office helps Congress in its oversight role by investigating the financial and administrative affairs of government agencies and programs.

Question 20

Why would opponents of a bill prefer an open rule to a closed rule?

Accepted Answer

An open rule allows for more amendments to be proposed, which opponents can use to introduce changes that might make the bill less appealing or harder to pass.

Quiz 5: Congress: the First Branch