The Structure of Congress

Who might you MOST expect to see talking with the president about a particular house bill?

• constituent

• majority whip

• majority leader

• Speaker of the House

Why might a seat in the Senate be more attractive to a candidate than a seat in the House?

• Senators are paid more than House members.

• Senators do not have to run for office as often.

• Senators receive more benefits than House members.

• The Senate spends less time in session than the House.

The U.S. House of Representatives, as part of a constitutional republic, requires which of the following?

• debate with all members allowed to participate

• hearings for all bills by a committee of the whole

• majority rule with little minority input

• . public records of all caucus meetings

"Tip" O'Neill did which of the following while serving in Congress?

• crafted rules for congressional behavior

• introduced the Contract with America

• presided over the House of Representatives

• presided over the Senate

The requirement of unanimous consent that applies to the Senate, but not the House, requires which of the following?

• a Rules Committee that controls the flow of legislation

• an absence of political party influence

• cooperation between majority and minority leadership

• coordination between the vice president and president pro tempore

The censure of a member of Congress results in which of the following?

• expulsion from Congress

• fines

• statement of formal disapproval

• time in jail

Which statement is true about a standing committee in the Senate?

• Chairpersons of each committee change after each election.

• Only the chair can call meetings of the standing committee.

• The member with most seniority becomes chairperson.

• The party makeup of each committee can shift after each election.

Personal staff and subcommittee staff may both do which of the following?

• collect information and draft bills

• manage the schedule of members

• prepare and release publications about laws

• take care of requests from constituents

A senator who wants to provide information to the media about her support of a particular bill would work with which member of her personal staff?

• administrative assistant

• legislative assistant

• legislative director

• press secretary

A member of the House represents a district that contains the shale oil formation in North Dakota. Which of these committee assignments should the member request from party leadership, in order to increase her chances of winning reelection?

• Agriculture

• Energy and Commerce

• Homeland Security

• Transportation and Infrastructure