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WorksheetsAP Gov Semester 1 Review
Total questions: 134
Worksheet time: 2hrs 26mins
What is the Iron triangle
The relatively stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among federal workers in agencies , intrest groups and bureacratic agencies.
a system of government in which entities such as states or provinces share power with a national government
Loose informal relationships that exist among a large number of actors who work in broad policy areas.
Working groups created to facilitate the coordination of policy making and implementation.
Bureacratic agencies implement laws
True
False
Issue networks are
news organizations that explore how government programs affect common people.
an alliance that may contain scholars, interest groups, executive agency staff, and legislative staff members
communications between the president and interest groups
websites set up by Congress to solicit public opinion.
The House Committee on Veterans Affairs, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) work together to achieve policies that benefit veterans.
This is an example of which of the following?
Corporate lobbies
Political action committees
Issue networks
Iron triangles
The Environmental Protection Agency issues a fine to a factory that is not complying with federal regulations on the maximum number of pollutants it can release into the atmosphere.
This is an example of which of the federal bureaucracy’s responsibilities?
Enforcement
Congressional oversight
Testifying before Congress
Rulemaking
Which of the following is the best example of an issue network?
A national organization committed to influencing legislation to promote small businesses
Government and private groups opposed to a proposal to run a pipeline through Native American land
A Congressional subcommittee on issues facing senior citizens
An independent executive agency regulating telecommunications
Congress passes a law reducing the amount of violence that children can be exposed to on television.
Which of the following actions can the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) take to implement this measure?
Write guidelines about how much violence can be depicted during times children are likely to be watching TV
Lobby Congress to decrease federal funding for TV networks that broadcast violent TV shows
Refuse to air violent TV shows on their broadcast networks
Issue an executive order banning the production of violent TV shows
Which of the following statements explains how Congress can use its power of the purse to restrict presidential power?
Congress allocates funds for presidential campaigns and can restrict funds to the president’s party
Congress determines the president’s salary and can cut it based on performance
Congress drafts and passes a federal budget, which does not require presidential approval
Congress can deny requests for funds to executive agencies during the budget process
Congress passed the Clean Air Act, which gave the federal government the power to monitor and limit emissions of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. In 2003, however, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Clean Air Act does not give it the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
The EPA’s decision to regulate some emissions but not others is an example of which of the following?
The discretionary authority that individual bureaucrats and agencies have to make choices about how to implement existing laws
An iron triangle relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional subcommittees to promote a common cause
Bureaucratic rulemaking authority to write specific regulations in order to enforce laws
The collaboration between an issue network of experts and stakeholders to create specific policy
Members of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure are concerned over increased accidents on national highways.
Which of the following is an action the committee can take to address the problem?
Replacing the secretary of the Department of Transportation with a member on the committee
Confiscating funds from the Department of Transportation until problems are resolved
Disbanding the Department of Transportation and allocating their responsibilities to other executive departments
Holding a hearing and subpoenaing high-level officials of the Department of Transportation
In 1975, Congress passed the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, which gave the Department of Transportation the power to regulate the transport of potentially hazardous materials, including radioactive materials. In response, the Department of Transportation set regulations on vehicles transporting hazardous materials, such as requiring additional labels on shipment trucks that warn other vehicles that there is hazardous material in the truck.
The action taken by the Department of Transportation is an example of which of the following?
A law created by the president and implemented by a bureaucratic agency without congressional approval
A permanent change to the Constitution of the United States
A guideline issued by the federal bureaucracy, which provide specific details about how a policy will be implemented
A written pronouncement issued by the president after signing
In 1963, Congress passed the Clean Air Act to control air pollution on a national level. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency set standards to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants in the United States.
The action taken by the Environmental Protection Agency is an example of which of the following?
A guideline issued by the federal bureaucracy, which provide specific details about how a policy will be implemented
A permanent change to the Constitution of the United States
A law created by the president and implemented by a bureaucratic agency without congressional approval
A written pronouncement issued by the president after signing a bill
In 2010, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which gave the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) more power to regulate and enforce securities laws. In response, the Securities and Exchange Commission created the Office of the Whistleblower, which is responsible for gathering information from people who know of a company committing securities fraud.
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s ability to decide how much money is awarded to whistleblowers is an example of which of the following?
The power that individual bureaucrats and agencies have to make choices about how to implement existing laws
The collaboration between experts and stakeholders to create specific policy
Bureaucratic authority to write specific regulations in order to enforce laws
The relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional subcommittees to promote a common cause
Which of the following scenarios would be considered congressional oversight?
Congress confirms the head of the Environmental Protection Agency in both the House and the Senate
Congress calls several high-level officials of the Department of Homeland Security to testify on cross-agency communication after September 11th
Congress gives the Securities and Exchange Commission discretionary authority to implement a bill on regulating Wall Street companies
Congress passes a bill which the president vetoes; Congress then overrides the presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber
Every year, the Seafair Air Show performance takes place in Seattle, Washington. To protect guests attending the festival, Congress passed a law designating the area a safety zone. In response, the Department of Homeland Security created a regulation requiring the Coast Guard to enforce the boundaries of the safety zone from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The action taken by the Department of Homeland Security is an example of which of the following?
A permanent change to the Constitution of the United States
A written pronouncement issued by the president after signing a bill
A guideline issued by the federal bureaucracy, providing specific details about how a policy will be implemented
A law created by the president and implemented by a bureaucratic agency without congressional approval
Which of the following scenarios is an example of a bureaucratic agency using its discretionary authority?
The Environmental Protection Agency decides to enforce the Clean Air Act by imposing fines on companies that knowingly exceed certain pollution standards
The Department of Veterans Affairs sends officials to testify before a congressional committee
The Department of Education meets with the American Federation of Teachers to discuss policy implementation
The Federal Elections Commission publishes a report listing every person who donated more than $200 to a campaign
Bureaucratic discretionary authority is best defined as which of the following?
The ability of executive departments and agencies to make choices about how to enforce public policy
The regulations issued by government agencies to implement public policy
The power of the president to create a law to be implemented by a bureaucratic agency without congressional approval
The supervision of departments and agencies conducted by congressional committees
Which of the following statements describes why the federal bureaucracy is given discretionary authority to implement public policy?
Bureaucrats are responsible for appropriating budgets after legislation is passed
Bureaucrats are solely responsible for making regulations after legislation is passed
Bureaucrats are experts and are able to make the best choices on how to implement policy
Bureaucrats are the only part of the federal government who can interact with interest groups and the public
Choice committee assignments, increasing influence with the leadership, and perhaps even more assistance from the campaign committees are reasons why Congressmen vote as...
trustees
delegates
partisans
The process of distributing seats in a legislature. In the United States, this is based upon population or equal representation.
Apportionment
Reapportionment
Redistricting
Gerrymandering
For a bill to become a law, it must...
receive a majority vote in both chambers and then be signed by the president
receive a majority vote in the house and then be signed by the president
receive a majority vote in the senate and then be signed by the president
The presiding officer in the House of Representatives
Vice President
Minority leader
Majority leader
Speaker of the House
The Speaker of the House is elected into the positition by the eligible voting population in America.
True
False
If the president and vice president die, who would become the next president?
President Pro Tempore
Speaker of the House
Majority Whip
Secretary of State
The Vice President holds a lot of power in the Senate
True
False
This person is in charge of maintaining order within the party. They make sure all representatives are present to vote on proposed legislation and remind them to vote in the best interests of the party.
Majority leader
Speaker of the House
Majority whip
Committee chairperson
Unrelated amendment tacked onto a bill to help bill get passed
Interest Groups
Pigeonhole
Committee
Rider
In 1992, U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato from New York successfully prevented the Senate from voting on a tax bill by speaking for 15 hours and 14 minutes. In 1977, Bill Meier spoke for 43 hours to keep the Texas State Senate from voting on a bill. His effort was unsuccessful when a vote was finally held and the bill passed.
Which tactic was practiced by these legislators?
cloture
filibuster
override
veto
Which phrase BEST explains the role of a conference committee in the lawmaking process?
proposing a bill
drafting a bill
revising a bill
vetoing a bill
What action is accomplished by an appropriations bill?
reduce U.S. government debt
prevent the U.S. government from spending money
collect taxes to pay for U.S. government expenses
provide the U.S. government the authority to spend money
Which of the following is NOT a purpose of the Congressional Committee system in the legislative process?
Committees allow for members to examine bills on a topical basis.
Committees provide a forum for public comment and research on bills.
Committees eliminate the need for discussion of bills on the floor of Congress.
Committees are designed to schedule the consideration of bills prior to floor action.
For a bill to become officially a national law, which of the following must always occur?
The bill must pass both houses with identical language.
The bill must be signed by the president.
The bill must be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court for accuracy.
The bill must originate in the Senate and be passed by the House.
Which action correctly demonstrates a check on the authority of the executive branch?
a ruling by the judicial branch that overrides an action of the president’s Cabinet
a Supreme Court nominee being approved by a majority of state governors
a two-thirds vote by both houses of Congress that overrides a presidential veto
a majority of state legislature votes that reverses a federal mandate
How many senators are in the senate?
435
100
270
103
How many representatives in the house of representatives ?
100
535
435
335
Requirements to be in the House of Representatives
They must be 30 years old, have been a US citizen for at least 9 years, and live in the state they represent.
They must be 25 years old, have been a US citizen for at least 7 years, and live in the state they represent.
They must be 21 years old, have been a US citizen for at least 7 years, and live in the state they represent.
They must be 27 years old and have been a US citizen for at least 7 years
____ _____ do not currently exist for Congressmen, would require a Constitutional Amendment, but have been recommended to increase turnover.
Term Limits
Salary Freezes
Congressional Caucuses
Standing Committees
The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because
the seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore must play a larger role
the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House
the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor
the majority party in the House prefers to give priority to the work of the committees
Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct?
The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings.
The rules are specified in Article I of the Constitution
The rules in each chamber are determined by the majority whip
The rules can be changed by the President during a national emergency.
The congressional power that has been contested most frequently in the federal courts is the power to
establish post offices
levy taxes
declare war
regulate interstate commerce
Which of the following committees of the House of Representatives sets the conditions for debate and amendment of most legislation?
Ways and Means
Agriculture
Rules
Government operations
How are cabinet secretaries and the attorney general selected and removed?
The president appoints cabinet secretaries and the attorney general, subject to Senate Confirmation, and they serve at his will.
The President usually retains his predecessor’s cabinet secretaries and attorney general
The president appoints cabinet secretaries and the attorney general for fixed fourteen year terms of office
Cabinet secretaries and the attorney general are appointed by the president and can be removed by Congress at will
The president appoints cabinet secretaries and the attorney general, and they must resign at the end of the presidential term
Which of the following statements most accurately describes the president’s power to get his programs enacted?
Presidents often rule by decree and executive order; as a result, much of their program becomes law
Presidents often have a majority of both houses of Congress; as a result, many of their proposals are adopted
the president must rely heavily on persuasion to get things done
Because the president can always call a press conference, he often uses the media to his advantage to get his program passed
The president has more power to get things done in the second half of his term because then he has established himself in office
What happens to a bill that is not signed or vetoed within ten days while Congress is still in session?
It becomes law automatically, without the president’s approval
It is “pocket vetoed’ and does not become law
It becomes law as soon as Congress adjourns; until then, the president may veto
It is held over until the next session of Congress
It becomes law if 60 percent of both houses of Congress approve it
What is the significance of United States v. Nixon (1974)?
A president may not wage an undeclared war
A president may not veto part of a bill
A president must secure the approval of the Senate to fire a cabinet appointee
A president does not have an unlimited right to executive privilege
A president may not impound funds appropriated by Congress
The term ‘divided government’ means which of the following?
A president and a judiciary of different political parties
A president and a vice president of different political parties
A disagreement between the supreme court and the Congress
A cabinet of composed of members of different political parties
A president and congress of different political parties
Which of the following is NOT a constitutional power of the president?
Declare war
Recommend legislation to Congress
Appoint diplomats
Negotiate treaties
Veto part of a bill
I. Veterans Affairs
II. Agriculture
III. White House Counsel
IV. Transportation
President Cleveland used federal troops to break up a labor strike, and President Eisenhower sent federal troops to desegregate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Which clause of the Constitution gave them this power?
Serve as commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Convene Congress in special sessions
Commission officers in the armed forces
Take care that the laws be faithfully executed
Wield the “executive power”
Must be a natural/native born citizen
Must be a resident of the US for 14 years
This group consists of cabinet members and department heads the primary function is inform the president of the dangers that face the nation.
National Security Council
White House Staff
Executive Office of the President
White House Press Secretary
Provides for presidential interpretation of the bill, their understanding of what is expected to fulfill the action.
executive order
executive agreement
23rd amendment
signing statements
The ability of the president to withhold information on their decision making process from congress claiming
executive orders
executive privilege
executive agreements
National Security Council
What role does a president play when celebrating a national holiday?
Head of State
Chief of Staff
Chief Diplomat
Chief Executive
Which is true about executive orders?
They are issued by Congress
They are treated like a law, without going through the same steps as a law
They can be vetoed by the Speaker of the House
They are written by the President but must be approved by the Senate like a treaty.
A good example of a government corporation is ____________.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Which of the following best describes bureaucracy?
the people and organizations who execute the actions of government
outside groups who donate money to political campaigns
committees in Congress who provide services for the American people
all of the above
Regulation can best be described as
giving businesses more freedom in creating and selling their products.
allowing the private sector to take control over services previously provided by the government.
rules created by government agencies that determine how laws are implemented.
rules created by the Supreme Court that determine how laws should be interpreted.
After the President appoints someone as the head of a federal department or agency,
they must be confirmed by the Senate.
they must be confirmed by the House.
they do not need to be confirmed.
they must go through a normal job application process.
Administrators in the federal bureaucracy
can use their own discretion to make choices concerning the best way to implement policies.
must implement policies exactly as are they are dictated by Congress.
must defer to the President's wishes when implementing policies.
are not responsible for implementing policies.
Administrators in the federal bureaucracy
can use their own discretion to make choices concerning the best way to implement policies.
must implement policies exactly as are they are dictated by Congress.
must defer to the President's wishes when implementing policies.
are not responsible for implementing policies.
Implementation can best be described as
the process by which government agencies settle legal disputes .
a list of standard operating procedures.
the process by which a law or policy is put into practice.
the process used by an iron triangle to influence policy.
Implementation can best be described as
the process by which government agencies settle legal disputes .
a list of standard operating procedures.
the process by which a law or policy is put into practice.
the process used by an iron triangle to influence policy.
