Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

Incumbents have a great advantage in con...

Question 2

Committee staffs within Congress

Accepted Answer

A)  concentrate on constituency relations.
B)  perform an almost entirely legislative function.
C)  concentrate on public relations.
D)  split their time between legislative functions and public relations.
E)  are devoted to logistical functions and committee public relations.

Question 3

Nearly ________ percent of all PAC contributions go to the incumbents.

Accepted Answer

A)  10
B)  30
C)  50
D)  70
E)  85

Question 4

Approximately ________ percent of House incumbents win reelection.

Accepted Answer

A)  57
B)  65
C)  74
D)  82
E)  92

Question 5

A pocket veto differs from a regular presidential veto,in that the pocket veto

Accepted Answer

A)  applies only to a section of the legislation in question.
B)  applies only to expenditure legislation.
C)  occurs when the president decides to veto a bill he had previously signed.
D)  can take effect only when the Congress is not in session.
E)  occurs when the president goes before Congress to announce a veto.

Question 6

Congress is a decentralized,fragmented institution.What are the implications of these realities on its lawmaking role? Explain.

Accepted Answer

Congress has a proliferation of leadersh...

Question 7

Campaign spending tends to be a much greater task for

Accepted Answer

A)  challengers than for incumbents.
B)  Republican candidates.
C)  Democratic candidates.
D)  candidates in urban areas than for candidates in rural areas.
E)  men than for women.

Question 8

Congressional oversight is MOST likely to occur when it involves

Accepted Answer

A)  White House activities with the opposition party in control of one or both chambers of Congress.
B)  congressional activities of a questionable nature.
C)  allegations of misconduct by individual low-level bureaucrats.
D)  allegations of misconduct by state governments.
E)  unpopular decisions of the Supreme Court.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

A)  10
B)  25
C)  40
D)  66
E)  90

Question 10

Which of the following is one of the three major functions of Congress's policymaking role?

Accepted Answer

A)  lawmaking
B)  check the president
C)  appease special interests
D)  inform the people
E)  check the Supreme Court

Question 11

Through a vote for cloture,the Senate

Accepted Answer

A)  confirms presidential appointees.
B)  can end a filibuster.
C)  overrides a presidential pocket veto.
D)  accepts the House version of a bill.
E)  closes its legislative session for the year.

Question 12

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.

Question 13

The most powerful person from the minority party in the House is the

Accepted Answer

A)  minority whip.
B)  minority leader.
C)  deputy whip.
D)  Speaker of the House.
E)  None of these answers is correct.

Question 14

Approximately ________ percent of Senate incumbents win reelection.

Accepted Answer

A)  57
B)  65
C)  74
D)  84
E)  98

Question 15

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 of controlling the bureaucracy
C)  its inadequacy as a means of controlling the power of the president
D)  its inadequacy in generating publicity for members of Congress
E)  its inadequacy as a means of controlling the judiciary

Question 16

Incumbents may have some problems in reelection campaigns if

Accepted Answer

A)  disruptive issues such as general public discontent with Congress become prominent.
B)  the incumbent is tainted with charges of personal misconduct or corruption.
C)  the election is a midterm election,and the incumbent is of the same party as the president.
D)  they appear vulnerable,and contributors from outside the state or district might target the race and donate money to the challenger.
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 17

Congress typically takes presidential proposals

Accepted Answer

A)  only as a starting point.
B)  only if the dominant party is the same as the president's party.
C)  and most often fast-tracks them into law.
D)  and tables them until they expire.
E)  None of these answers is correct.

Question 18

Most of the legislative work of Congress is performed by

Accepted Answer

A)  the standing committees and their subcommittees with jurisdiction over particular policy areas.
B)  the joint committees chosen to coordinate actions between the two chambers of Congress.
C)  the select committees chosen to study special problems on a temporary basis.
D)  the steering committees that decide how the party stands on particular bills.
E)  party leaders in both chambers.

Question 19

What is congressional oversight and how strongly is it pursued by Congress?

Accepted Answer

Congressional oversight is the responsib...

Question 20

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.

Exam 11: Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests

Which of the following is one of the three major functions of Congress's policymaking role?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Campaign spending tends to be a much greater task for

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congress typically takes presidential proposals

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congress is a decentralized,fragmented institution.What are the implications of these realities on its lawmaking role? Explain.

Correct AnswerverifiedCongress has a proliferation of leadersh...View AnswerShow Answer

By and large,partisanship is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Congressional oversight is MOST likely to occur when it involves

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is congressional oversight and how strongly is it pursued by Congress?

Correct AnswerverifiedCongressional oversight is the responsib...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Through a vote for cloture,the Senate

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Committee staffs within Congress

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Incumbents may have some problems in reelection campaigns if

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Approximately ________ percent of House incumbents win reelection.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The most powerful person from the minority party in the House is the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Approximately ________ percent of Senate incumbents win reelection.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most of the legislative work of Congress is performed by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

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

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A pocket veto differs from a regular presidential veto,in that the pocket veto

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Nearly ________ percent of all PAC contributions go to the incumbents.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Congress has a proliferation of leadersh...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Congressional oversight is the responsib...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
Incumbents have a great advantage in con...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified