WorksheetsAP Gov. Unit 2: The Branches of Government
Total questions: 86
Worksheet time: 3hrs 34mins
What is NOT a benefit of being in Congress?
Franking Privileges (Free Mail)
Travel Allowances
Retirement Benefits
Pension after the completion of a term
$174,000 a year salary
Which phrase does not accurately describe the members of congress?
535 Members
substantive representation
descriptive representation
mostly elite backgrounds
previous professions mostly in law, business, and other administrative positions
What is Descriptive Representation?
Representing constituents by mirroring the interests of groups (pluralist ideals)
Representing constituents by mirroring their personally, politically relevant characteristics and or issues
What is Substantive Representation?
Representing constituents by mirroring the interests of groups (pluralist ideals)
Representing constituents by mirroring their politically, personally relevant characteristics and or issues
(T or F) Incumbents are members running for reelection having previously been in congress, usually win, and usually go up for reelection
True
False
What is not considered an advantage for Incumbency?
Advertising - mailing constituents, prompting support via phone, meetings with constituents
Credit Claiming - enhancing their standing with constituents through service to individuals in district/ states
Pork Barreling- Adding special grants for specific businesses, colleges, and institutions in order to gain support for reelection
Spending- Increasing campaign costs in order to receive more support
What is American Bicameralism?
A legislature divided into two houses. The US congress and every state legislature have this system except Nebraska.
A legislature divided into two houses. The US congress and some state legislatures have this system.
A legislature divided into two houses. The US congress and every state legislature have this system.
Which is NOT an accurate descriptor of the House of Representatives?
Committees have more influence
Individual Members have less power
Less Hierarchal
More structure
More party loyalty
(T or F) the House Rules Committee is special to the House that reviews all bills (except budget, revenue, and appropriation) coming from a house committee before going to the full house.
-schedules bills on calendar
-gives debate times
-specifies amendments
-generally responsive to speaker
True
False
Which Descriptor inaccurately describes the Senate?
Less hierarchal
Less centralized
Less disciplined
Newer members might get top assignments
Clotures are a popular way to end unnecessary debate
Definition of House Whips
Party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party
the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House
An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant.
What describes a cloture?
a majority vote needed to close debate --- not favorable to senators because one day they might need to debate
67 votes needed to end a filibuster --- not favorable to senators because one day they might need one
67 votes needed to end a filibuster --- favorable to senators because one endless debate can be harmful
a majority vote needed to end a filibuster --- favorable to senators because one endless debate can be harmful
What accurately describes a filibuster?
a strategy unique to the senate whereby opponents to a piece talk it to death based on the tradition of unlimited debate
a strategy unique to the senate whereby proponents to a piece talk it to death based on the tradition of unlimited debate
What is the Speaker of the House?
a
b
c
d
What is not a role of the Speaker of the House?
a
b
c
d
e
What is the majority leader?
Principle party ally of the Speaker(only in senate) or the party's manager in the senate or house. This leader is responsible for managing bills, influencing bill creation, and rounding votes on behalf of the party's legislature positions.
Principle party ally of the Speaker(only in house) or the party's manager in the senate or house. This leader is responsible for managing bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding votes on behalf of the party's legislature positions.
Principle party ally of the Speaker(only in house) or the party's manager in the senate or house. This leader is responsible for managing bills, influencing bill creation, and rounding votes on behalf of the party's legislature positions.
Principle party ally of the Speaker(only in senate) or the party's manager in the senate or house. This leader is responsible for managing bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding votes on behalf of the party's legislature positions.
What is the minority leader?
primary leader of the minority party in the house or senate that represents its side with its own pressing issues and matters
b
c
What is a standing committee?
Committee formed when senate and house pass a particular bill in different forms. party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out differences.
Permanent, bills sent here first, edit/revise/markup bills, hold hearings, most bills advance beyond committee, conduct congressional oversight, investigate executive branch and
bureaucratic agencies: for separate subject matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills of indifferent policy areas.
Committee that forces on a few subject areas with membership drawn from both houses.
Permanent, bills sent here first, edit/revise/markup bills, hold hearings, most bills never advance beyond committee, conduct congressional oversight, investigate executive branch and
bureaucratic agencies: for separate subject matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills of indifferent policy areas.
What is a joint committee?
Permanent, bills sent here first, edit/revise/markup bills, hold hearings, most bills never advance beyond committee, conduct congressional oversight, investigate executive branch and
bureaucratic agencies: for separate subject matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills of indifferent policy areas.
Committee that forces on a few subject areas with membership drawn from both houses.
Committee formed when senate and house pass a particular bill in different forms. party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out differences.
Committee of separate subject matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas.
What is a conference committee?
Committee that forces on a few subject areas with membership drawn from both houses.
Committee of separate subject matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas.
Committee formed when senate and house pass a particular bill in different forms. party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out differences.
Committees appointed for specific purposes ex. the Watergate investigation
What is a select committee?
Committee of separate subject matter committees in each house of congress that handle bills in different policy areas.
Committees appointed for specific purposes ex. the Watergate investigation
Committee formed when senate and house pass a particular bill in different forms. party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out differences.
Committee that forces on a few subject areas with membership drawn from both houses.
What is NOT legislative oversight?
Committee hearings & investigations into an agency’s activities
allows Congress to ensure that they are satisfied with what the agency/dept is doing
The act of congress creating legislature to control agencies in order to regulate their activities
Congress can alter agency/department budgets depending on whether they are pleased or not with agency’s activities
What is NOT a committee chair?
Leader of congressional committees, always from majority party, has tremendous influence over legislation in committee
The most important influencers of congressional agenda
Manages subcommittee bills when they are brought before the full house
Members who play dominant roles in staffing, schedules, hearings, hiring staff, and appointing sub committees.
What is a caucus and how does it influence congress?
a group of members of the House of Representatives sharing some interests or characteristics.They are compromised of members of the house of representatives with a goal to promote interest.
a group of members of congress sharing some interests or characteristics.They are compromised of members of the House of Representatives with a goal to petition.
a group of members of congress sharing some interests or characteristics.They are compromised of members of both houses and parties with a goal to petition.
a group of members of congress sharing some interests or characteristics.They are compromised of members of both houses and parties with a goal to promote interest.
What are the three main staff agencies and what do they do?
Congressional research services: analyses presidential budget proposal checks OMB
Government accountability office: oversight functions, follows extent of laws
Congressional budget office: goes through library of congress, highly skilled individuals, requests for info
Congressional research services: oversight functions, follows extent of laws
Government accountability office: goes through library of congress, highly skilled individuals, requests for info
Congressional budget office: analyses presidential budget proposal checks OMB
Congressional research services: goes through library of congress, highly skilled individuals, requests for info
Government accountability office: oversight functions, follows extent of laws
Congressional budget office: analyses presidential budget proposal checks OMB
Accurate House Powers:
Initiates all tax and revenue bills
Committee of the Whole: The House forms itself into a committee to help facilitate the process
Discharge petition: a majority of the House can vote to force a bill out of committee
Unanimous consent agreements: speed along legislation
Accurate Senate Powers:
Cloture: a 3/5 vote (67) to end debate/end a filibuster or hold
Holds: a Senator can prevent discussion of the bill
Filibuster: a long speech to prevent a vote on a bill
Confirm nominationsRatify treaties
Unanimous consent agreements:
speed along legislation
True or False: Required by law, can only be changed by new legislation; includes entitlements and interest on the debt
(over 2/3 of all federal spending) is mandatory spending
True
False
What is Entitlement spending?
Must be approved annually as part of budget bills; defense is the largest area of this type of spending spending, education
Required by law, can only be changed by new legislation; includes entitlements and interest on the debt(over 2/3 of all federal spending)
Spending on programs/benefits people are guaranteed to receive by law; Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
What is discretionary spending?
Must be approved annually as part of budget bills; defense is the largest area of discretionary spending, education
Spending on programs/benefits people are entitled to receive
by law; Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Temporary
Assistance for Needy
Families, Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program
Required by law, can only be changed by new legislation; includes entitlements and interest on the debt(over 2/3 of all federal spending)
Where does most of the work in Congress take place? Where do most bills die?
Describe ways that the House of Representatives is different than the Senate.
Describe non-legislative powers of the Senate.
Senators and Representatives have different constituencies and term lengths; how does this affect congressional behavior?
Describe the role of standing committees in congress
ional oversight.
Explain the impact of filibuster and cloture rules in the Senate on the law-making process.
Identify causes of party polarization.
What are the effects of party polarization?
Identify 4 ways Congress can affect foreign policy
According to Federalist No. 70, why is a single executive desirable?
What Constitutional advantages does the president have dealing with foreign affairs?
Why do the president’s agenda and executive orders often create tension and conflict with Congress?
Describe an expansive interpretation of presidential power
and give justification for it
How has technology changed the president’s relationship with the public, and in turn Congress?
What is the primary role of the bureaucracy in the policy process?
Describe the difference between political and non-political appointees in the bureaucracy.
Why is the bureaucracy sometimes said to have questionable accountability?
Identify factors that contribute to bureaucratic independence.
How can presidents ensure that bureaucratic agencies work in harmony with the administration’s goals?
How do congressional oversight hearings enable Congress to limit the power of the bureaucracy?
How does the power of the purse enable Congress to limit the power of the president and bureaucracy
According to Federalist No. 78, why is life tenure for judges necessary to maintain an independent judiciary?
How do advocates of judicial restraint and judicial activism differ in their belief of the proper role for the
judiciary?
How does the exercise of judicial review along with Justice’s life tenure lead to debate about the legitimacy of
the Court’s power?
How does Senate confirmation affect judicial
decision making?
What may happen to old precedents when the ideological balance of the Supreme Court shifts following an
appointment?
What can Congress and the president do in response to an unpopular/controversial Supreme Court ruling?
What does the lack of police power mean for the Judiciary?
Describe how accusing judges of “legislating from the bench” is a critique of judicial activism
What is the pork barrel?
Provides tangible benefits, jobs, money to
a district
When representatives attach unrelated grants to bills in order to gain constituency support
Vote-trading; often, but not necessarily, related to bargaining legislation (“I vote for yours, you vote for mine)
T or F Logrolling: Vote-trading; often, but not necessarily,
related to pork barrel legislation (“I vote
for yours, you vote for mine)
T
F
Reapportionment def:
Changing the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives; following the census
Redrawing congressional districts; done by state legislatures
Drawing congressional districts in bizarre shapes usually to benefit a party
What is gerrymandering?
Drawing congressional districts in
bizarre shapes usually to benefit a
party
Redrawing congressional districts; done by state legislatures
Changing the number of seats each state has in the House of
Representatives; following the
census
What is redistricting?
Redrawing congressional districts; done by state legislatures
Drawing congressional districts in
bizarre shapes usually to benefit a
party
Changing the number of seats each state has in the House of
Representatives; following the
census
Baker V. Carr
Banned malapportionment;
established “One person, one
vote” principle of equal
representation
Banned racial gerrymandering;
established “One person, one
vote” principle of equal
representation
Banned racial gerrymandering;
held that race-conscious
redistricting violates the equal
protection clause even if the
purpose is to help minorities; held
that
the Constitution is color blind
Banned racial apportionment;
held that race-conscious
redistricting violates the equal
protection clause even if the
purpose is to help minorities; held
that the Constitution is color blind
Select the accurate representation models:
Trustee
Representative votes his/her
conscience regardless of what
constituents want
Delegate
Representative votes his/her
conscience regardless of what
constituents want
Trustee
Vote how constituents want, even
if (s)he personally disagrees
Delegate
Vote how constituents want, even
if (s)he personally disagrees
Politico
mix of a trustee and delegate
T or F Divided government:Different parties control White House, Senate, and/or
House of Representatives
Policy gridlock: Slow/difficult to pass legislation, confirm nominations
True definitions are accurate
False it's vice-versa
Which of the following is not a formal power of the president?
Veto Message to Congress rejecting a bill
Commander-in-Chief Head of the armed forces, directs troop
movements
Pocket veto President takes no action AND session of Congress ends within 10 days of receiving bill. Can’t be overridden
Executive agreements
Agreement with foreign heads of state, just like a
treaty but don’t require Senate confirmation
Which of the following is not an informal power of the president:
Bargaining
Presidential agenda may conflict with congressional
agenda; need to bargain with Congress on
appointments, budgets, and legislative goals
Persuasion
Lack significant constitutional powers, rely on
persuasion to gain support for agenda from public
and Congress
Signing statements
A written comment issued by president when signing
a bill that provides president’s interpretation of bill
Executive orders
Have the power of law, don’t require congressional
approval; generally used to direct the bureaucracy
and foreign policy
Pocket veto
President takes no action AND session of Congress
ends within 10 days of
receiving bill. Can’t be
overridden
Which answer accurately describes nominations:
Nomination/Senate:
confirmation
Federal judges, cabinet
secreta
ries, ambassadors, heads
of executive agencies
No confirmation required:
White House Office/Staff
Chief of Staff, press secretary,
advisors, etc.
Judicial appointments:
Judicial nominations are a
president’s longest lasting
influence
confirmation
Nomination/Senate: White House Office/Staff
Chief of Staff, press secretary,
advisors, etc.
No confirmation required:
Federal judges, cabinet
secreta
ries, ambassadors, heads
of executive agencies
Judicial appointments:
Judicial nominations are a
president’s longest lasting
influence
Nomination/Senate:
confirmation
Federal judges, cabinet
secreta
ries, secretary of state, heads
of executive agencies
No confirmation required:
White House Office/Staff
Chief of Staff, press secretary,
advisors, etc.
Judicial appointments:
Judicial nominations are a
president’s least important lasting
influence
T or F Marbury v Madison: Established judicial review: the power of the Court to rule on the constitutionality of congressional laws, executive actions, judiciary proceedings and state laws
T
F
T or F Federalist no. 78 Life terms
for federal judges establishes an independent judiciary
that cannot engage in judicial review
Judiciary is the least dangerous branch, lacking budget
or war powers, rely on others to enforce their decisions Must not have power of judicial review
T
F
What the @$^&)^%~ is this? Courts can and should overrule other branches when wrong, should freely use their power to advance societal goals
Judicial Review
Judicial Restraint
Judicial Activism
What the F(*^%*$###%^** AS&I* is this? Courts should defer to democratically elected branches whenever possible
Judicial Review
Judicial Restraint
Judicial Activism
Select the accurate examples and def:
Cabinet departments
Major area of responsibility over a broad policy area; broad
area of responsibility
Examples
Dept. of Homeland Security, Transportation, Veterans Affairs,
Education
Executive agencies
Perform public services
Examples
Environmental Protection Agency
Independent regulatory commissions
Make rules regulating specific industries to protect public; more narrow area of responsibility
Examples
Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC)
Government corporations Provide services that
could be provided by private companies, but are not profitable
Independent regulatory commissions
Make rules regulating large industries to protect public; broader area of responsibility
Examples
Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC)
T or F Issue Networks: Tighter, more formal, more longstanding than iron triangles
T right
F opposite
Which is inaccurate regarding iron triangles ?
Congressional committees, interest groups, bureaucratic
agencies.
temporary relationship
interest groups provide
electoral support , & agencies implement policy as Congress
intends
committees make favorable legislation
agencies make favorable regulations, and agencies receive
funding from Congress
Select the accurate terms
Political patronage
Bureaucrats receiving jobs as political favors
Civil service
Merit system promotes professionalism, specialization, and neutrality
Merit system
Bureaucrats earn jobs based on merit and/or civil service exam
Merit system
Merit system promotes professionalism, specialization, and neutrality
Civil service
Bureaucrats earn jobs based on
merit and/or civil service exam
T or F: Congressional oversight=
Committee hearings & investigations into an agency’s
activities; allows Congress to ensure that they are satisfied with what the agency/debt is doing
Committee hearings
Agency heads must testify before Congress about agency’s activities
Power of the purse
Congress can alter agency/department budgets depending on whether
they are pleased or not with agency’s activitie
T
F
Accurate checks on bureaucracy
Congress
•Congressional oversight,
power of the purse
•Establish, abolish an agency
President
•Appoint and
remove agency
heads
•Executive orders
Judicial
•Can rule on constitutionality of
bureaucratic regulations and
actions
President
•Appoint and
remove agency
heads
•Executive agreements
Congress
•Congressional oversight
•Power of the purse
Congress can...
Make laws
Power of the purse
Pass tax, budget, and appropriations bills
Declare war
Draft Treaties
executive powers...
Enforce laws
Propose legislation to
Congress
Ratify Treaties
Grant pardons
Commander-in-Chief
Supreme Court can...
Review decisions of state
and lower federal courts
Interpret laws
Select the accurate checks to the executive branch....
congress:
•Override presidential veto
(2/3 both houses)
•Impeach the president
•Refuse to pass a bill the
president wants
•Confirm presidential
nominees (Senate only)
•Ratify a treaty (Senate only)
Judiciary:
Declare executive
laws
Judiciary
Declare executive
orders/actions
unconstitutional
congress:
•Override presidential veto
(pocket veto)
•Impeach the president (senate)
•Refuse to pass a bill the
president wants
•Confirm presidential
nominees (Senate only)
•Ratify a treaty (Senate only)
Select the best accurate checks to congress
Executive:
veto legislation
Judiciary:
Declare a law unconstitutional
Executive:
pocket veto
veto
select all checks to judicial branch...
Executive: Nominate federal judges
Congress:
•Impeach federal judges
•Alter the # of
judges on the
Court
•Change the jurisdiction of
lower courts & the appellate
jurisdiction of the S.C
Congress:
•Propose a constitutional
amendment to ratify
Court’s decision
•Pass a slightly altered version
of same law
•Confirm judicial nominees
(Senate only)
Congress:
•Propose a constitutional
amendment to overturn
Court’s decision
•Pass a slightly altered version
of same law
•Confirm judicial nominees
(Senate only)
