Title: The Legislative Branch
Course: Joni's Quizzes

Q: The powers of Congress are listed primarily in what portion of the Constitution?
- Article I, Section 8 gives Congress "general powers" to do whatever it thinks is "necessary and proper." Because of this, only the Bill of Rights limits the scope of laws that Congress can pass.
- Congress is granted "police powers" by the 10th Amendment of the Constitution.
- Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution states that Congress has broad discretion to “provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States," and empowers Congress to make and implement laws on such topics as taxes, debt, regulating interstate commerce, coining money, establishing post offices, declaring war, and raising an army and navy.
A: Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution states that Congress has broad discretion to “provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States," and empowers Congress to make and implement laws on such topics as taxes, debt, regulating interstate commerce, coining money, establishing post offices, declaring war, and raising an army and navy.

Q: The "elastic clause" refers to what portion of the Constitution?
- The 10th Amendement, establishing that "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
- The 9th Amendment, establishing that "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
- The final paragraph of Article I, Section 8, which grants to Congress the power “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers.”
A: The final paragraph of Article I, Section 8, which grants to Congress the power “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers.”

Q: Which of the following is true concerning the Constitution's delegation of powers to the House and Senate?
- The Senate initiates all tax and spending bills, while the House approves presidential nominations for the cabinet, federal judges and ambassadors, as well as treaties with foreign countries.
- The House can pass "general" legistlation while the Senate can only pass bills having to do with the categories listed in Article 1, Section 8.
- The House initiates all tax and spending bills, while the Senate approves presidential nominations for the cabinet, federal judges and ambassadors, as well as treaties with foreign countries.
A: The House initiates all tax and spending bills, while the Senate approves presidential nominations for the cabinet, federal judges and ambassadors, as well as treaties with foreign countries.

Q: For what reason was a bicameral legislature created instead of a one-house Congress?
- The framers thought it wise to divide power between the national legislature and the state legislatures.
- The framers thought it wise to empower Congress as the first among equal branches, and a bicameral legislature provided a way of accomplishing this.
- The framers of the Constitution feared having any one governmental body become too strong. A bicameral system distributes power within two houses that check and balance one another rather than concentrating authority in a single body.
A: The framers of the Constitution feared having any one governmental body become too strong. A bicameral system distributes power within two houses that check and balance one another rather than concentrating authority in a single body.

Q: Which of the following institutions did the framers think would be the most "democratic"?
- The Senate
- The Supreme Court
- The House of Representatives
A: The House of Representatives

Q: Which of the following roles did the framers anticipate for the Senate?
- The framers thought that the Senate should act as the more democratic of the two houses, countering the elite impulses of the House of Represenatives.
- The framers designed the Senate to be the house "closest to the people."
- The framers thought that the Senate should be constituted as an elite body that would act as a check on the House,
A: The framers thought that the Senate should be constituted as an elite body that would act as a check on the House,

Q: How do political parties help Congress function?
- Parties help members determine who to talk to and who to ignore in Congress. It is verboten for members of one party to interact with members of another, so it is easy for members to know which side of any debate they should take.
- Political parties in the United States provide a rigid and unchanging ideological outlook for their members so that it is clear which positions are acceptable and which are not at all times.
- Political parties provide Congress with organizational structure and discipline. Parties facilitate lawmaking and are the basis for the most stable coalitions in Congress. They unite individuals who share ideological orientations and policy goals and help them work together to pass legislation.
A: Political parties provide Congress with organizational structure and discipline. Parties facilitate lawmaking and are the basis for the most stable coalitions in Congress. They unite individuals who share ideological orientations and policy goals and help them work together to pass legislation.

Q: The top leadership position in the House of Representatives is ________.
- the Vice President.
- the Majority Leader.
- the Speaker of the House.
A: the Speaker of the House.

Q: Which of these are considered the most powerful committees in the Senate?
- Indian Affairs, Veterans' Affairs, and the Select Committee on Ethics
- Foreign Affairs, Rules, and Ways and Means
- Appropriations, Armed Services, Commerce, Finance, and Foreign Relations.
A: Appropriations, Armed Services, Commerce, Finance, and Foreign Relations.

Q: If it is to have much chance of becoming law, a bill must be drafted into a proposal that will generate support of:
- 51 senators and half-plus one of the total number of voting House members.
- 51 senators, half-plus one of the total number of voting House members, plus the Supreme Court.
- Congress as well as the public, interest groups, and the executive branch.
A: Congress as well as the public, interest groups, and the executive branch.

Q: Recent research suggests which of the following about lawmaking?
- Congress tends to listen to the middle class rather than to the poor or the rich since the middle is where most of the votes are.
- The House tends to listen to the poor and the Senate to the middle class when making policy.
- The policy preferences of the middle class do not effect lawmaking and the preferences of the lower economic strata are actually negatively correlated with policy.
A: The policy preferences of the middle class do not effect lawmaking and the preferences of the lower economic strata are actually negatively correlated with policy.

Q: An aspect of lawmaking that makes passing a bill in the Senate much more difficult than in the House is?
- The filibuster, which can be used to extend debate indefinitely to effectively kill a bill unless a super-majority of 60 senators vote to invoke cloture and limit the debate. Luckily, the filibuster is rarely used and rarely threatened.
- Since senators are elected for six-year terms there is very little incentive for members of that body to do much of anything.
- The filibuster, which can be used to extend debate indefinitely to effectively kill a bill unless a super-majority of 60 senators vote to invoke cloture and limit the debate. During this era of polarized partisan disagreement, the fillibuster has been used more than at any time in the country's history.
A: The filibuster, which can be used to extend debate indefinitely to effectively kill a bill unless a super-majority of 60 senators vote to invoke cloture and limit the debate. During this era of polarized partisan disagreement, the fillibuster has been used more than at any time in the country's history.

Q: The reelection rate for incombents in Congress, and for candidates who outspend their opponents is around what?
- 60%
- We have no data on these things.
- 90%
A: 90%

Q: The dominant profile of a member of Congress is ________.
- a former civics teacher.
- a college professor.
- an older, wealthy, white male.
A: an older, wealthy, white male.

Q: With regard to public trust, ________.
- public confidence in Congress has declined over the past three decades, but its approval ratings are typically higher than the president's.
- congress tends to rate higher on job approval ratings than either the president or the Supreme Court.
- public confidence in Congress has declined over the past three decades. Congress has the lowest approval ratings of the three branches.
A: public confidence in Congress has declined over the past three decades. Congress has the lowest approval ratings of the three branches.

Q: Which of the following concerning Congress and term limits is true?
- House and Senate members are limited to four terms in office.
- House and Senate members are limited to two terms in office.
- There are no term limits.
A: There are no term limits.