GOVT 2305, Test 3

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D. Bennett, TVCC

When creating the Congress, the founders of the United States strove to create a legislature that could check the power of the


Which of the following best describes the makeup of the legislature in the United States?


Which branch of government was specifically created to closely represent the people's views?

House of Representatives

Because of the constitutional duties of the Senate, in which of the following policy sectors do many members of the Senate specialize?

foreign policy

How often are House members elected?

every two years, in even-numbered years

Which constitutional amendment shifted the power to elect senators from state legislators to popular elections?


In 2010, how much did it cost, on average, to make a successful bid for the U.S. Senate?

$8.3 million

Of the following, which would be the most important determinant in a successful congressional campaign?

the candidate's incumbency

Which of these factors makes it more likely that incumbents will prevail in congressional elections?

All these answers are correct.

How often does reapportionment and redistricting of seats occur in the House of Representatives?

every 10 years

The practice of redrawing electoral boundaries for political advantage is known as


Which of these powers is/are granted to Congress by the Constitution?

All these answers are correct.

Because of the elastic clause, Congress exercises a ________ scope of authority.


Which of the following is/are a source of congressional power and authority?

All these answers are correct.

Which of the following was an important consideration during the shaping of congressional functions?

checks and balances

Most representatives in Congress employ ________ in their approach to governance.

a combination of the trustee model and delegate model

A special form of representation, personal aid to a constituent or group of constituents, is known as


Identify the correct chronological order of a legislative bill's passage.

introduction, committee review, House and Senate approval, conference committee reconciliation, presidential approval

The wooden box into which House members insert proposed bills is known as the


Permanent committees with a defined legislative jurisdiction are known as

standing committees.

Committees that include members of both chambers of Congress are known as

joint committees.

In what position in the line of presidential succession is the Speaker of the House?


Which of the following leaders is responsible for developing party strategy, working with minority party leadership, and encouraging unity among majority party legislators?

House majority leader

Who is the constitutional president of the Senate?

vice president

Which of the following wields the most influence in congressional decision making?

the constituency

How many electors must a presidential candidate secure in the Electoral College to be elected president?


What is the date of presidential inauguration ceremonies?

January 20

What majority is needed for Congress to check presidential power by overriding a presidential veto?


Which of the following best describes presidential use of the line-item veto?

It is no longer in use because the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional.

Which president issued more vetoes than any other during his tenure?

Franklin Roosevelt

Which position, appointed by the president, plays a significant role in managing and supervising the national economy?

chairman of the Federal Reserve Board

Which of the following is NOT a party role performed by the president?

acts as national party chair

Executive agreements are considered to be in force for how long?

for the term of the administration that negotiates them

As chief diplomat, the president performs all of the following EXCEPT

approving treaties with other nations.

Which of the following is NOT a power vested in the president by the Constitution?

the power to declare war

Which of the following presidential roles is mostly ceremonial and symbolic?

chief of state

Many vice presidents serve a largely ________ role.


Most would-be presidents choose their vice presidential running mate based on their desire for a "________" approach that provides diversity and maximizes electoral appeal.

balanced ticket

How many departments serve under the cabinet, the group of experts chosen as advisers by the president?


The head of the Department of Justice is called the

attorney general.

Which president began the practice of using a cabinet to assist in executive governance?

George Washington

Which is the most recently created cabinet department?

Homeland Security

Which office within the Executive Office of the President is responsible for the creation of the president's annual budget?

Office of Management and Budget

Which constitutional amendment, passed in 1967, determines the course of action in the case of a president being incapacitated?


Which event prompted codified procedures for dealing with an incapacitated president?

the assassination of President John Kennedy

If both the president and vice president die or are unable to govern, which of the following accurately describes the line of succession?

Speaker of the House; Senate president pro tem; secretary of state; secretary of the treasury

Which of the following presidential powers are granted by Congress?

statutory powers

Which clause has been cited by presidents as the basis for the assertion of inherent powers?

the take care clause

Thomas Jefferson's decision to initiate the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was an early example of the exercising of ________ presidential powers.


Generally, executive orders have ________ limitations and stipulations.

very few

Modern presidents use the bully pulpit to persuade the public on a(n) ________ basis.

virtually continuous

President Bush's high approval ratings after his response to the September 11 attacks are an example of the ________ effect.

rally 'round the flag

Which president initiated the New Deal, a series of social programs that dramatically transformed people's views of the role of the federal government?

Franklin Roosevelt

What event led to a deep decline in popular perceptions of the presidency?

the Watergate scandal

During impeachment, which federal body conducts the trial of the president?


According to the compromise reached by the framers of the Constitution, which of the following was empowered to establish federal district courts?


The Supreme Court predominately acts as a court of

appellate jurisdiction.

Initially, the federal judiciary was

quite weak, with little authority.

Which early landmark case granted the Supreme Court its most significant power?

Marbury v. Madison

The common law is based on which of the following?

earlier court decisions

The principle of stare decisis, a Latin phrase that means "let the decision stand", is the basis of the modern legal concept of


Which of the following statements about constitutional law is accurate?

All laws in the United States must comply with the U.S. Constitution.

Which of the following are considered the highest form of law?


Statutes are authored by

Congress and other legislatures.

The compilation of all the laws passed by the U.S. Congress is known as

the U.S. Code.

Which of the following statements about executive orders is accurate?

Executive orders are a type of presidential lawmaking.

In the process of administrative rule making, which of the following uses their discretion to establish rules and regulations to implement policy?

federal bureaucrats

Who files suit in a case dealing with a violation of criminal law?

the government

In a civil lawsuit, negligence that causes harm to another person's body or property is known as

a tort.

What type of court system exists in the United States?

dual court system

Which of the following are considered courts of last resort, whose opinions carry the force of law?

the Supreme Court and state high courts

How many federal district courts are there in the U.S. court system?


The leading justice on the Supreme Court, who provides both organizational and intellectual leadership, is known as the

chief justice.

Which of the following Supreme Court appointees were nominated by President Obama?

Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor

Which of the following share power in the selection of federal court judges?

the Senate and the president

Senatorial courtesy gives senators of the same political party as the president the right to veto judicial appointments to which of the following courts?

federal district courts

Which factor influences senators as they appoint federal judges?

All these answers are correct.

A request to the Supreme Court that they review a case that was already decided is done via a(n)

certiorari petition.

For the Supreme Court to hear a case, how many of the nine justices must want to hear it?


Which of the following best describes the ideological distribution of the Supreme Court today?

slightly conservative

Which of the following is/are given power under the Constitution to grant individual pardons?

the president

Article I of the Constitution grants ________ the right to control the Supreme Court's appellate docket.


Which of the following issues articles of impeachment for federal judges?

the House

Which of the following conducts impeachment trials for federal judges?

the Senate

People with NIMBY ("not-in-my-backyard") syndrome take which of the following stances on civic engagement?

They never participate until directly threatened by government action.

Since 1789, when the states ratified the U.S. Constitution, the national government's scope of responsibility for domestic matters has

gradually expanded.

Government benefits guaranteed to all who meet the eligibility requirements are known as

entitlement programs.

How are entitlement programs funded?

by tax revenue collected specifically for these programs

Under the provisions of the Clean Air Act of 1970, who was given enforcement responsibility for air quality standards?

the states

Which of the following events served as a catalyst for the development of a U.S. energy policy?

OPEC oil embargo

Which president declared an "energy crisis" and promoted conservation and energy efficiency measures?

Jimmy Carter

The gradual increase in the earth's temperature is known as

global warming.

All of the following are considered renewable energy sources EXCEPT

natural gas.

Which of the following is the largest source of petroleum product imports to the United States?


Which of the following statements about social security payments is NOT accurate?

Most people collect less from Social Security than they pay into the fund.

The unemployment compensation program created by the Social Security Act of 1935 is funded by

employees, employers, and both the federal and state governments.

For how many weeks can an employee who is fired through no fault of his or her own receive unemployment compensation?

26 weeks

What share of a regular employee's hourly wage must employers pay for overtime work, or all hours worked over 40 hours in a week?

one and a half times

In what way is the minimum wage increased?

through new legislation approved by Congress and the president

What is the minimum age at which a person can receive Medicare health insurance benefits?

65 years of age

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