WorksheetsUnit #2 IATB - Congressional Structure and Functions
Total questions: 22
Worksheet time: 15mins
The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in
A White House budget resolution
the Congressional Budget Office
the United States Senate
the United States House of Representatives
the Office of Management and Budget
Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?
Members of Congress with the longest continuous service are assured the chairmanship of major congressional committees.
Members of Congress must be elected from safe seats to accrue committee seniority.
Members of congressional committees are the most senior members of the body's majority party.
The oldest members of Congress have the most seniority.
The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.
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 committees must play a larger role.
the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House.
committee members are appointed by the President.
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.
Refer to the Diagram Congressional Leadership for the following question.
Which of the following is true according to the diagram?
The Senate minority leader is as powerful as the Senate Majority Whip.
The Speaker of the House, in coordination with the House majority leader, appoints the House minority leader.
Unlike the House of Representatives, the Senate does not recognize political parties.
Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the rules for debate used by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?
In the House, debate is limited while in the Senate, debate is unlimited.
In the House members can filibuster, while in the Senate members cannot filibuster
In the House, debate is limited, while in the Senate, members can filibuster.
In the House, members cannot filibuster, while in the Senate, only the majority leader can filibuster.
Which of the following accurately describes the composition of congressional committees?
Committees are organized by the executive branch to ensure that both branches can communicate and negotiate policy goals.
The United States Constitution requires that Congress organize itself into committees, whith each party having equal access to committee seats.
Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process.
Committees are organized by state delegations so that each state has some role in deviding which bills get passed.
Which of the following is an example of a power exclusively granted to the Senate in Article II of the Constitution?
declaring war
overriding a presidential veto with a 2/3 majority vote
confirming ambassadors
creating spending bills
All of the following are Congressional legislative powers EXCEPT:
pardoning felons
passing federal laws
determining copyrights and patents
appropriating federal funds
establishing post offices
Which of the following statements about motions of cloture is true?
The motion forces a bill out of committee so that the full House can vote on it
The motion is applied to bills that failed in the previous session of Congress.
The motion is applied only to appropriation bills.
The motion is used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.
The motion will occur whenever a bill is reported out of committee.
The actual details of a bill are usually worked out in which of the following?
a party caucus
a standing committee's subcommittee
the majority leader's office
the floor of the House
legislative hearings
The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money.
an enumerated power
an implied power
an inherent power
a reserved power
a concurrent power
A new president has been elected after running on a campaign of lowering taxes and reducing spending on discretionary programs but now must work with Congress to ensure legislation passes which achieves those goals. Which of the leaders in the diagram plays the most crucial role in shaping the legislation that the president wants passed?
President Pro Tempore
Vice President
Speaker of the House
Senate Majority Leader
House Minority Leader
Which of the following are differences between the legislative process in the House of Representatives and that in the Senate?
I. Debate is more restricted on the House floor than the Senate floor.
II. The amendment process is more restricted in the House than in the Senate.
III. Bills are more likely to bypass committee consideration in the House than in the Senate.
IV. A Rules Committee sets the guidelines for floor debate in the House but not in the Senate.
III only
I, II, and IV only
I and II only
II and IV only
I, II, III, and IV
The term "pork-barrel" refers to legislation specifically designed to
encourage a balanced federal budget
ensure the careful inspection of farm goods and other foodstuffs
distribute excess produce to the poor
provide funding for local projects that are intended to benefit constituents
equalize representation between farming and nonfarming states.
Of the following, which is the most powerful figure in Congress?
Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee
Speaker of the House
Minority Whip of the Senate
Vice President
President Pro Tempore
Choose of ALL of the following that are considered special duties of the United States Senate.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
At what age does on have to be in order to run for the:
a. House of Representatives
b. Senate
(a)
Because not every Senator is up for reelection every two years, the Senate is known as a (a) .
What rule is given to the House of Representatives in regards to how many representatives each state will receive?
(a)
In the Senate, debate is unlimited. The term to describe this is (a)
The number of years a Representative serves in the House is ______ while a Senator serves ____ years.
(a)
List six enumerated powers of Congress.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(a)
