Cram Session 2.

1
Institutions of Government: Congress
Which of the following serves as a check by Congress over the
executive?
A. Congress can change the number and jurisdiction of the lower courts.
B. The Senate can refuse to confirm a person nominated to be a judge.
C. All revenue bills must originate in the House of Representatives.
D. Congress can override a presidential veto by a majority vote of both
houses.
E. Congress can remove cabinet secretaries.

Explanation: The Senate can refuse to confirm a judge nominated by the
president. This is a check on both the executive and judicial branches.
(A) is a check of Congress on the judicial branch; (C) is true but is an
assurance keeping taxes most closely tied to representation, not a check
on the president; (D) a veto requires a 2/3 vote to override, not a simple
majority; (E) Congress does not have this authority.

Which of the following is a difference between the House of
Representatives and the Senate?
A. The Senate has stricter rules for floor debate.
B. There is no leader in the Senate, except for the vice
president in case of a tie vote.
C. Revenue bills must originate in the Senate.
D. Floor rules and debate are more casual in the Senate than
in the House.
E. The Senate has standing committees, but the House uses
only select committees.

The House is more formal and has more rules in the conduct
of its business
All of the following statements about filibusters are true
EXCEPT
A. either political party may use the filibuster
B. senators who filibuster may speak about any topic
C. filibusters have been used to block judicial appointments
D. cloture votes are rare, because they require seventy-five
votes
E. the Senate gives its members the right of unlimited debate

Sixty votes are required to end a filibuster by cloture
When the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill,
where is the language of the bill resolved?
A. joint committee
B. standing committee
C. conference committee
D. select committee
E. in a meeting with the leadership of both houses
All of the following are advantages of incumbency for
members of Congress EXCEPT
A. the recognition they receive by sitting on oversight
committees
B. the use of franking privileges to let members of their
districts know what they have been doing
C. the ability to provide casework
D. the ability to bring pork-barrel projects to their states
E. name recognition
Which of the following is generally true of the
gerrymandering of congressional districts?
A. It results in more Democrats being elected to the House.
B. It results in more Republicans being elected to the
House.
C. It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally
represented.
D. It creates districts that favor one political party over
another.
E. It violates the principle of one-person, one vote.

Congressional committees and their members do all of the
following tasks EXCEPT
A. revise bills
B. hold hearings
C. refer bills to subcommittees
D. give advice on bills to other members of Congress
E. enact legislation
In the following scenario, the Senate has fifty Republicans and fifty
Democrats and the president is Republican. What would be the result if
one Republican senator changed his affiliation to become an
independent?
A. No major changes would occur in the conduct of the Senate.
B. The Senate would have a Democratic majority, and it would
become impossible for the president to enact his program.
C. The Republican whip would be used to make sure the independent
senator voted with the Republicans.
D. The Republican committee heads would be replaced with
Democrats.
E. The vice president would no longer be the president of the Senate.
In what respects is the Senate more powerful than the House of
Representatives?
I. It has the power to ratify treaties.
II. It has the power to confirm judicial appointments.
III. All revenue bills must originate there.
IV. Each senator represents an entire state rather than a congressional
district.

A. I and II
B. I, II, and III
C. II and III
D. I, II, and IV
E. III and IV
The House Judiciary Committee is best described as
A. standing
B. conference
C. select
D. joint
E. appropriations

The House Rules Committee has all of the following
powers EXCEPT
A. the power to make revisions to bills
B. the power to set strict time limits for debate
C. the power to specify the kinds of amendments that can
be added to bills
D. the power to govern the procedures under which the
house will consider bills
E. the power to forbid amendments to bills

What case established that the necessary and proper clause
could be used to extend the national governments power
beyond its expressed authority?
A. McCulloch v. Maryland
B. Marbury v. Madison
C. Gitlow v. New York
D. Gibbons v. Ogden
E. Barron v. Baltimore

When Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives in
the 1990s, what changes were made to House rules?
I. Some senior members were passed over in selection of committee
chairs.
II. Term limits were placed on committee chairs.
III. Members of the opposing party were not placed on committees.
IV. The House Rules Committee was abolished.

A. I and II
B. II and III
C. I, II, and III
D. I, II, and IV
E. II, III, and IV
What has been the impact of the War Powers Resolution on American
military actions?
A. Presidents have carefully followed the law and have asked
Congress for permission before committing troops.
B. Presidents have committed troops and then asked for congress to
continue the troop commitments beyond sixty days.
C. its impact has been minimal, and several presidents have committed
troops worldwide since its enactment.
D. Congress has used the law to call troops home once they have been
committed for more than sixty days
E. None. The Supreme Court ruled the War Powers Resolution
unconstitutional under the political questions doctrine.

Which of the following candidates is most likely to get
elected to Congress?
A. an incumbent senator
B. an incumbent member of the House of Representatives
C. a challenger for a seat in the Senate
D. a challenger for a seat in the House of Representatives .
E. It is impossible to tell from this scenario who is more
likely to he reelected because reelection depends mostly
on party affiliation
How are congressional district boundaries determined?
I. They are redrawn every ten years according to census data.
II. They are drawn so that they are roughly equal in square miles.
III. They are drawn so that, as much as possible, one persons vote
will be worth the same as another persons vote.
IV. They are drawn to favor minority racial groups.

A. I and II
B. III and 1V
C. I and III
D. II, III, and IV
E. II and IV

The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most
strongly with
A. the population density of their districts
B. their economic background
C. their educational level
D. their political party affiliation
E. the location of their districts
A member of the House of Representatives who wishes to
be influential in the House itself would most likely seek a
place on which of the following committees?
A. Agriculture
B. International Relations
C. Transportation and Infrastructure
D. Rules
E. Veterans Affairs
What checks does Congress have over the judiciary?
I. The Senate confirms federal judges.
II. Senatorial courtesy can be used to block a nomination.
III. Congress can overcome an unpopular court decision by proposing
a constitutional amendment, subject to ratification.
IV. Congress can rewrite legislation to overcome a negative court
ruling.

A. I and II
B. I, II, and III
C. II and III
D. II, III, and IV
E. I, II, III, and IV
The House of Representatives and Senate pass different versions of a
bill. What happens next?
A. The bill is sent to a conference committee, then back to both houses
for final approval, and then to the president.
B. The bill is sent to a conference committee, then back to its original
committees for approval, and. then to the president.
C. The bill is sent to a conference committee, and if the changes are
not significant, it is sent directly to the president.
D. Both versions of the bill are sent to the president, who signs the
version that he prefers.
E. The bill is sent to the Speaker of the House and the president pro
tempore of the Senate, who agree on common language and then
send the bill to the president for signature.
The House Energy and Commerce committee debates legislation that
impacts the pharmaceutical industry. Why might a pharmaceutical
company hire a former member of the committee?
A. because pharmaceutical companies are often asked to write the new
legislation subject to the committees approval
B. to help the pharmaceutical company raise money through a PAC
C. to serve as a lobbyist, using expertise and connections to speak with
members of Congress
D. to create an issue network to advocate for the availability of
prescription drugs from Canada
E. to trade favors and promise campaign contributions in exchange for
favorable legislation.
How can Congress check the executive branch?
I. by overriding a presidential veto
II. by rejecting the presidents proposed budget
III. by refusing to allow the Vice President to cast a tie-breaking vote
in the Senate
IV. the Senate can refuse to approve the presidents nomination for a
position as Cabinet secretary

A. I and II
B. II and III
C. I, II, and III
D. III and IV
E. I, II, and IV
Which of the following represent attempts by Congress to regain
power in comparison to the president?
I. the Budget Impoundment and Control Act of 1974
II. the Patriot Act
III. the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act
IV. the War Powers Resolution

A. I, and II
B. I, II and III
C. II and IV
D. II, III and IV
E. I and IV
What kind of bill is most likely to include a pork barrel
project with money earmarked for a particular state?
A. authorization. bill
B. continuing resolution
C. reapportionment bill
D. appropriations bill
E. joint resolution
All of the following statements apply to a president signing a bill into law are
correct EXCEPT:
A. The President has ten days to sign the law after Congress ends its session.
B. The President can veto the bill and send it back to Congress.
C. The President can sign the bill into law.
D. The President can line-item veto part of the law.
E. The President can sign only if both Houses of Congress pass an identical
version of the bill.

Choice D is the correct answer because the line-item veto, which gave the
President authority to selectively veto parts of appropriation bills, was declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Choices A, B, C, and E are all accurate
statements related to the options the President has. Choice A is true because if
the President does not sign a bill within ten days after Congress ends its session
it would be called a "pocket veto." Choices B and C are the most common
methods the President uses, and Choice E is a correct statement because a bill
must be passed by both houses with the identical language.
A major area that is affected by congressional oversight hearings is
the
A. structure of congressional committees
B. ability of the president to recommend legislation to Congress
C. reduction of the number of cases heard by the Supreme Court
D. creation of new special interest groups
E. review of the budgets of independent regulatory agencies

Choice E, the correct answer, is one function of congressional oversight.
Another one is to review aspects of laws passed by Congress related to
specific governmental agencies or departments. Choice A is wrong because
the majority party has the power to review the structure of congressional
committees. Choice B is incorrect because the president can recommend
legislation independently of congressional oversight. Choices C and D are
incorrect statements related to the question raised.
In viewing the relationship between the president and Congress in
the area of foreign policy, which action on the part of Congress
attempted to reduce presidential authority?
A. Congressional Impoundment Act
B. War Powers Act
C. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
D. Approval of the SALT agreement
E. Approval of NAFTA

Choice B, the correct answer, was a direct result of the presidents escalation
of the Vietnam War. Choice C was the action by Congress that gave President
Johnson the green light to send more troops to Vietnam. Choice A refers to a
budgetary action and domestic policy and does decrease presidential
authority in that area. Choice D refers to Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, and
choice E refers to the North American Free Trade Agreement, both treaties the
Senate had to approve.
One way Congress can respond to a Supreme Court ruling that
declares a law unconstitutional is to
A. appoint new justices
B. draft a referendum that the voters would approve
C. pass new legislation that addresses the issues raised by the
Court
D. pass a law limiting the terms of the justices
E. reargue the case in a state court

Choice C, the correct answer, is the only manner, other than a constitutional
amendment, Congress can act on a ruling by the Supreme Court that declares a
law unconstitutional. Choice A is wrong because the Senate approves new justices
only when there is an opening on the Court. Choice B is an incorrect statement.
Choice D requires a constitutional amendment. Choice E is an incorrect
statement.
Why is the filibuster criticized as being undemocratic?
A. because it allows a member of the House of Representatives
to block legislation that has substantial popular support
B. because it can be used in the Senate but not in the House of
Representatives
C. because it can be used by a member of either house to block
legislation that has Substantial popular support
D. because it allows a senator to block legislation that has
substantial popular support
E. because there is no procedure for ending a filibuster once it
has started

Clinton Bush Reagan Carter
Nominations
(total)
48 239 378 258
White 34 (70.8%) 212 (88.7%) 355 (93.9%) 203 (78.7%)
Black 11 (22.9%) 15 (6.3%) 8 (2.1%) 37 (14.3%)
Latino 3 (6.3%) 11 (4.6%) 13 (3.4%) 16 (6.2%)
Asian - 1 (0.4%) 2 (0.5%) 2 (0.8%)
Women 18 (37.5%) 41 (17.2%) 31 (8.2%) 40 (15.5%)
Presidential Judicial Nominations (as of Jan. 1994)
Source: People for the American Way
Which of the following statements is supported by the chart above?
A. Both Republican presidents nominated a greater proportion of Latinos to the
judiciary than did either Democratic president.
B. President Carter made more judicial nominations than President Reagan.
C. The percentage of nominees to the judiciary who were minorities was higher
for Republican presidents than for Democratic presidents.
D. The percentage of nominees to the judiciary who were women was higher for
Republican presidents than for Democratic presidents.
E. President Reagan nominated the smallest percentage of women to the
judiciary.

Whips have which of the following functions?
A. They act as direct liaisons to the White House.
B. They work closely with the minority party in the name of
bipartisanship.
C. They make appointments to the various House and Senate
committees.
D. They are responsible for keeping party members in line when a
vote occurs.
E. They preside over the House when the speaker is absent.

Choice D, the correct answer, is one of the jobs whips have. Choices
A, B, C, and E are incorrect statements. A whip may sometimes
preside over a House session, but it is not a function of the job
Which of the following is a major cause of the inability of
Congress to pass legislation?
A. The number of bills proposed by the president
B. Lobbyists influencing Congress
C. Divided party control of the Congress
D. The increased number of southern Republicans elected to
Congress
E. The change in the party identification of voters

Choice C, the correct answer, is a primary reason that Congress does not
pass legislation. Even though lobbyists may influence legislation (choice
B) in a negative way, they are not singularly responsible for gridlock. The
other choices are incorrect in relation to the question.
Standing House committees such as the Ways and Means Committee are
important because they
A. do not engage in partisan behavior
B. mark up bills before they go to the entire House for debate
C. can act independently from established House rules
D. receive conference committee reports
E. are equally divided in membership between Democrats and
Republicans

Choice B explains a function of a standing committee in the House of
Representatives. The question is made even easier because it gives an example of
a standing committee. Choices A and C are easy to eliminate as incorrect
answers. Choice D may be true in rare instances, but it does not describe the
primary importance of standing committees. Choice E is incorrect because
standing committees are divided proportionally between Democrats and
Republicans based on the majority/minority split in the House.
The Constitution provides that one-third of the Senates membership is up
for election every two years so that
A. House members may decide whether to run for the Senate
B. committee assignments can be alternated between Democrats and
Republicans
C. voters have less of a chance to change control of the Senate from one
party to another
D. the entire House and entire Senate are not elected in the same year
E. congressional apportionment can alter the size of House districts

Choice D is the most obvious reason that the entire Senate is not elected in six-
year cycles. A direct result could be a dramatic upheaval of both houses under
certain circumstances. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect statements based on fact
or circumstance. Choice E is incorrect because apportionment does not relate to
the Senate.
What is the result of a continuing resolution agreed upon by both
houses of Congress?
A. It authorizes the president to borrow money in advance of an
approved budget.
B. It allows a president to send troops abroad on a temporary basis.
C. It prevents the shutdown of any governmental operation if a
new budget is not enacted.
D. It directs the Congress to meet until a budget is voted on.
E. It creates a new legislative agenda.

Choice C, the correct answer, is the basic result of what happens when a
continuing resolution is adopted. Choice A represents an illegal action on
the part of the president. Choices B, D, and E are factually incorrect.
Which of the following is true about senatorial courtesy?
A. Senators have final say regarding presidential judicial
appointments.
B. Senators of the state from which the candidate comes are
consulted by the president prior to the candidates
appointment as a federal judge.
C. Senators rely on the expertise of their fellow senators before
approving judicial appointments.
D. Senators consult with the American Bar Association before
voting on judicial appointments.
E. Senators poll their constituents before deciding on whether to
accept a presidential appointment.

Choice B, the correct answer, is the primary result of senatorial
courtesy. Even though choices A, C, D, and E are factually
correct, they do not relate to the concept of senatorial courtesy.
Which of the following statements best describes congressional
incumbency?
A. Incumbents are usually able to win reelection.
B. Incumbents have had fundraising limits imposed on them by
the Federal Election Commission.
C. Incumbents have been able to raise less money than their
opponents.
D. Incumbents are able to use franking privileges to their
advantage.
E. Incumbents look to have numerous debates with their
opponents.

Choice A, the correct answer, reflects the importance of incumbency. During
national presidential elections, most incumbents have an advantage going into
the election. Choice B and C are factually incorrect. Choice D, although true,
does not get to the heart of the issue of incumbencythe ability to win
reelection. Choice E is a false statement.
Which statement is true about the War Powers Act?
A. It overturned the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
B. It gave Congress the power to appoint the head of the
joint chiefs of staff.
C. It gave the president the authority to declare war.
D. It established procedures when United States troops were
under the command of the UN during peacekeeping
missions.
E. It directed the president to be accountable to the
Congress if he sent troops to foreign countries.

Choice E, the correct answer, is a component of the War Powers Act.
Choices A, B, C, and D are factually incorrect.
The guiding principle that governs legislative
apportionment is
A. political gerrymandering
B. the establishment of majority-minority districts
C. one man, one vote
D. judicial authority to create congressional districts
E. districts determined by the governors of each state

Choice C, the correct answer, derives from the Supreme Court ruling Baker
v. Carr and mandates state legislatures to take into account the make-up
and size of congressional districts when redistricting based on population
changes. Although political gerrymandering (choice A) or majority-
minority districts may be the result, they are not the guiding principles in
creating legislative apportionment. Choices D and E are factually incorrect.
What conclusion can you reach from the fact that informal congressional
caucus groups such as the black caucus and caucus for womens issues
have been formed?
A. Caucus groups have had little impact on the legislative process.
B. Democratic caucus groups were more powerful than Republican
groups.
C. There is an indirect relationship between these groups and special
interest groups.
D. Caucus groups were organized to better serve voter constituents.
E. Republican groups were more numerous than Democratic groups.

Choice D, the correct answer, reflects the fact that most congressional
caucuses have as their purpose a constituent base. Choices A, C, and E
are factually incorrect. Choice B is incorrect because there is little
relationship between power and the existence of a caucus group.
The commerce clause of the Constitution has been viewed as a way for
A. Congress to exercise greater authority over state matters
B. the president to exercise greater authority to commit troops abroad
C. the states to exercise their reserved powers
D. the Senate to increase its authority to advise and consent the
presidents appointments
E. Congress to exercise greater authority over the Supreme Court

Choice A, the correct answer, requires you to know that the commerce
clause has been used to pass legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of
1964. Even though choices B, C, and D can take place, they have
nothing to do with the commerce clause. Choice E is incorrect because
congressional authority relates to the size of the Court.
Since the 1990s the manner in which legislation passed each house of
Congress suggests that
A. bipartisanship has been the rule of thumb
B. Congress has passed a greater number of bills than in previous decades
C. there has been an increasing tendency for the president to veto
legislation
D. even though the House may pass its legislative agenda, it is often
slowed down by the Senate
E. Senate-House conference committees have exercised greater influence
than congressional leaders in the formulation of legislation

Choice D, the correct answer, is true especially if you consider what happened
in the first year the Republicans gained control of Congress in 1994. Although
the House passed almost every component of the Republican Contract with
America, the Senate took much longer to pass the bills it received from the
House. Choice A is incorrect because traditionally there has been bickering
between the parties. Choices B, C, and E are incorrect factually.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives has the
primary role of
A. breaking tie votes in the House
B. presiding over the House during routine business
C. setting the legislative agenda for the House
D. settling disputes in his own party
E. acting as a liaison with the opposition party

Choice C, the correct answer, is a major function of the speaker. Even
though the speaker has other roles described (choices A, B, D, and E),
the primary role is to establish a legislative agenda. A good example of
this responsibility was when Newt Gingrich pushed through the House
the Republican Contract in 1994.