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Chapter 12: Congress

Multiple Choice

Multiple Choice

This activity contains 20 questions.

	According to Edmund Burke's classification, members of Congress would be considered   trustees. instructed delegates. politicos. ambassadors.

	An example of casework by a member of Congress is   writing a newsletter to send out to constituents. helping a constituent get a small business loan. voting for a bill desired by the majority of constituents. working with a caucus on a public policy that affects his or her constituents.

	Congressional reforms in 1995   gave each senator a seat on at least one key committee. created rotating committee chairs. allowed committee chairs to choose the chairs of subcommittees. drastically cut the power of majority leaders.

	Critics argue that one of the effects of the continual reelection of incumbents in Congress is   less conservative policies. fewer policy experts winning congressional seats. insulation of members from political change. less money spent on elections.

	In the relationship between lobbyists and members of Congress,   members of Congress can ignore and embarrass lobbyists. lobbyists hold the greater power. members of Congress depend on lobbyists for reelection. lobbyists pay members of Congress to pass or defeat bills.

	Most of the business of Congress takes place   in congressional districts. on the floor of the House and Senate. in committees and subcommittees. during evening social functions.

	Of all the senators' and representatives' roles, the toughest is   policymaking. running for reelection. fund raising. constituent service.

	Party loyalty at the voting booth is   stronger than it was a generation ago. no longer a good indication of voting behavior. still a good predictor of voting behavior. almost nonexistent today.

	Probably the foremost attraction to the job of being a member of Congress is   power. salary. leisure time. popularity.

	Successful presidential leadership of Congress requires   a powerful president able to convince members of Congress to follow his program. Congress and the president to belong to the same political party. the president to act as a facilitator, working at the margins of coalition building. presidents to successfully lobby each member of Congress to vote for their programs.

	The House Rules Committee   has its members appointed by the House majority leader. is similar to the Senate Rules Committee. usually retains independence from the House leadership. reviews most bills coming from committee before they go to the full House.

	The most important goal of advertising for members of Congress is to   inform the representative's constituency about his or her voting record. gather information from the constituency. elicit campaign contributions from the constituency. achieve visibility.

	The parties in Congress are most cohesive   on foreign policy issues. when electing its official leaders. on economic policy. on military matters.

	The person responsible for scheduling floor action in the Senate is the   vice president of the United States. chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. Senate majority leader. Speaker of the Senate.

	The president's most common method of attempting to influence Congress is to   call up wavering members. offer to campaign for members. hold regular meetings with the party's leaders in Congress. invite members of Congress to the White House.

	Traditionally, congressional committee chairpersons have been chosen through   the seniority system. party rank. popularity with majority leaders. a majority vote by committee members.

	When members of Congress hold a hearing to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, they are engaging in   agenda-setting. filibustering. legislative oversight. casework.

	When political action committees contribute money to members of Congress they are seeking   access to policymakers. votes on specific legislation. a direct voice in Congress. to create a more pluralistic Congress.

	Which of the following congressional offices is mandated by the Constitution?   Speaker of the House majority leader party whip minority leader

	Within the last few years, power in Congress has become more   centralized, with more power in the hands of senior party leaders. controlled by the influence of interest groups and Political Action Committees (PACs). decentralized with the proliferation of subcommittees and caucuses. dependent on the relationship between the members of Congress and the president as the chief legislator.

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