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WorksheetsIntro to Congress: House v Senate
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 8mins
How often are members of the House of Representatives elected?
Every six years
Every two years
Every four years
Every nine years
For how many years are Senators elected?
Two years
Four years
Six years
Nine years
What is the minimum age requirement for Senators?
Twenty-five years
Thirty years
Thirty-five years
Forty years
What is the minimum number of representatives in Congress that each state is guaranteed?
One
Two
Four
Six
Which of the following statements is true about the Senate?
The Senate elects a Speaker who exerts great control.
The Senate adopts new rules every two years.
The Senate is considered a "continuous body."
All members of the Senate are elected every two years.
Who has the power to influence the House Rules Committee in deciding the legislation to be considered?
The majority leader of the Senate
The Speaker of the House
The minority leader of the Senate
The President of the United States
Why did the founders place different requirements in the Constitution for members of the House and Senate?
To balance the powers between the two houses
Because they made a mistake
To create competition between the two houses
To limit the power of the government
According to the Constitution, what other responsibilities, in addition to writing legislation, are specified for the House and Senate?
Managing the national budget
Declaring war
Conducting investigations
All of the above
Suppose each member of the House could speak on an issue for 15 minutes. What would be the length of the debate? Is lengthy debate desirable or undesirable? Under what circumstances?
Lengthy debate is desirable for thorough discussion
Lengthy debate is undesirable as it can delay decision-making
Lengthy debate is only desirable when the issue is complex
Lengthy debate is always undesirable
What is meant by majority or minority leaders in paragraph five?
Leaders who represent the majority or minority of the population
Leaders who are elected by the majority or minority party members in the House or Senate
Leaders who decide which bills are to be voted on in the House or Senate
Leaders who have the most or least years of service in the House or Senate
It is often said that the House of Representatives runs by majority rule whereas in the Senate, the rights of the minority are upheld. How do the following examples illustrate majority rule or minority rights?
A majority of House members can always vote to defeat a minority proposal and pass a bill.
A single House member can block a bill by objecting to its placement on the calendar.
A minority of Senate members can pass a bill if it has enough public support.
A new senator is opposed to a bill and asks that it not be placed on the calendar.
What is the meaning of the term "precedent," in paragraph six?
A previous case or legal decision that may be or must be followed in subsequent similar cases
A rule that is used to justify future decisions, regardless of its legal standing
A tradition that has been followed for a long time without legal obligation
A proposal for a new law that is used to guide the creation of future legislation
Why were members of the House of Representatives directly elected by voters only until the 17th Amendment passed in 1913?
Because the founders intended the House to be closest to the people
Because the House members were appointed by the President
Because only Senators were elected by the people before 1913
Because the Constitution did not allow for direct election of House members
All bills that raise money must originate in which part of the U.S. Congress?
The Senate
The Supreme Court
The House of Representatives
The Executive Branch
What is the role of the majority leader in the U.S. Congress?
To represent the party with the least number of members
To lead the party with the greatest number of members
To appoint members to the House of Representatives
To impeach officials
What is the purpose of using precedent in the Senate's decision-making process?
To follow the most recent laws passed
To guide decisions based on historical examples or actions
To introduce new legislation
To elect the majority and minority leaders
