AP Congress Question Preview (ID: 24615)


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The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by
a) the United States House of Representatives
b) the United States Senate
c) United States district courts
d) state legislatures

Elections for the House of Representatives provide
a) approximately equal representation for every voter
b) an equal chance of getting elected for both incumbents and challengers
c) a system in which only those candidates who receive a majority of the votes cast win on the first ballot
d) proportional representation based on the percentage of votes cast for each party

Which of the following statements about incumbent senators running for reelection is correct?
a) the senators with the best chances of reelection are those who have served the longest
b) the amount of money spent by a challenger has little bearing on an incumbent's reelection chances
c) incumbent senators are less likely to be reelected than are incumbent members of the House of Representatives
d) an incumbent senator is equally likely to be reelected or defeated

The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because
a) the seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore committees must play a larger role
b) the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House
c) committee members are appointed by the President
d) the House is so large that more work can by accomplished in committees than on the floor

Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct?
a) Debate by a determined minority in either chamber cannot be halted
b) The rules in each chamber are determined by the majority whip
c) The rules are specifies in Article I of the Constitution
d) The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings

A difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that in the House
a) legislative activity on the floor is more constrained by rules
b) committees are less important in the decision-making process
c) party leaders are less powerful
d) bills are more likely to be amended on the floor

Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
a) Holding trials of impeachment
b) Establishing federal courts
c) Approving treaties
d) Holding confirmation hearings

A discharge petition is rarely used in the House of Representatives because
a) it is unconstitutional to use a discharge petition in the House of Representatives
b) the House is too large for a discharge petition to be effective
c) a two-thirds majority is required to issue a discharge petition
d) it is a challenge to majority leadership and informal rules of behavior

Which of the following statements about the Senate is true?
a) Each state is represented in the Senate according to its population
b) The Senate, unlike the House, has a Rules Committee
c) Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process
d) The Senate has a strict time limit on debates.

The congressional system of standing committees is significant because it
a) fosters the development of expertise by members
b) helps Congress reduce staff costs
c) insulates decision-making from the influence of special interests
d) weakens Congress in its dealings with the President

A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always
a) the member with the longest service on the committee
b) the member with the longest services in the House
c) a representative of the Speaker
d) a member of the majority party in the chamber

The role of a conference committee in Congress is to
a) hold hearings on proposed legislation
b) oversee the actions of the executive branch of the government
c) decide which bills should be considered by the full Senate
d) reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

Congressional standing committees are best described as
a) specially appointed investigative bodies
b) joint committees of the two houses of Congress
c) committees created for each session
d) permanent subject-matter committees

Which of the following is an accurate statement about committees in Congress?
a) The work of a committee ends when it submits a bill to the full House or Senate for consideration
b) An individual representative or senator can serve on only one committee and one subcommittee
c) Membership on key committees such as House Rules and Senate Finance is limited to fixed terms
d) Standing committees oversee the bureaucracy's implementation of legislation

If Congress wanted to effect a change in the Social Security payroll tax, to what congressional committee would the task initially be assigned?
a) House Appropriations Committee
b) Senate Appropriations Committee
c) House Ways and Means Committee
d) House Rules Committee

If legislation passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate but each version is slightly different, the conflicting bills are sent to
a) a standing committee of each house for a vote
b) an ad hoc committee for judicial review
c) the Rules Committee of each house for reconciliation and compromise
d) a conference committee for review and compromise

The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it
a) determines ethics rules for members’ conduc
b) determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration
c) determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor
d) has the authority to limit the Speaker and Minority leader in their use of patronage

Which of the following is a primary function of the Senate Judiciary Committee?
a) Conducting oversight hearings on the Supreme Court budget
b) Conducting investigations into allegedly subversive activities
c) Conducting hearings on judicial appointments made by the president
d) Conducting investigations into wrongdoing by the executive branch

Most of the work of legislating in Congress takes place in
a) joint committees
b) ad hoc committees
c) conference committees
d) standing committees

The legislative process at the national level reflects the intent of the framers of the Constitution to create a legislature that would
a) be less powerful than executive
b) be cautious and deliberate
c) involve as many citizens as possible
d) allow majorities virtually unlimited control over policy

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