Crash Course: Congressional Committees

What is the primary reason Congress is divided into committees?

• To increase the number of meetings

• To make the legislative process more efficient

• To complicate the legislative process

• To reduce the power of the Speaker

How many standing committees does the House of Representatives have?

• 19

• 16

• 20

• 22

What type of committee is the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence?

• Temporary

• Advisory

• Conference

• Permanent

What is the main function of congressional committees?

• To write legislation

• To manage the national budget

• To organize parties

• To oversee the executive branch

What power allows committee chairs to control what ideas become bills?

• Proposal power

• Gatekeeping Authority

• Markup authority

• Oversight power

What significant change occurred under the speakership of Newt Gingrich in 1994?

• Increase in the number of committees

• Increase in the power of the Speaker

• Decrease in the power of the Speaker

• Elimination of all committees

What is the role of the Congressional Research Service?

• To write legislation

• To oversee military operations

• To manage the national budget

• To perform unbiased factual research

What is a caucus in the context of Congress?

• A legislative drafting session

• A formal legislative committee

• A type of voting system

• A semi-formal group organized around particular identities or interests

What is the purpose of the Congressional Budget Office?

• To perform unbiased factual research

• To assess the likely costs and impact of legislation

• To oversee the implementation of laws

• To investigate government administration

What happens to a bill that doesn't receive a majority of votes in a committee?

• It is immediately passed into law

• It dies in committee

• It is sent back for revision

• It is automatically vetoed