Congress Review Questions
Congressional Elections
1. The process by which every state is reassigned the number of House seats according to its population after the national census.
2. The process by which state legislatures redraw congressional districts after reapportionment.
3. The drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group, a process often done by southern states to limit the
black vote
4. The 1964 Supreme Court decision Wesberry v. Sanders established this principle where legislative districts with a state had to
have approximately the same number of people.
5. Congressional districts designed to make it easier for citizens of a racial minority to elect representatives in order to make up for
past discrimination
6. A current office holder in Congress.
7. The percentage of incumbents who win reelection in Congress.
8. Two reasons why incumbents win re-election so consistently.
Who’s in Congress?
1. The number of members in the U.S. Senate
2. The length of a term in the House of Representatives.
3. The length of a term in the Senate.
4. The number of members in the House of Representatives as established in the Reapportionment Act of 1929.
5. According to the Constitution, members of the House must be at least _______ years old.
6. According to the Constitution, members of the Senate must be at least _______ years old.
7. Our Congressman in the Virginia 5th District.
8. Virginia’s two U.S. Senators.
9. The number of members serve in the House of Representatives.
10. The number of members who serve in the Senate.
11. Identify three demographic characteristics of members of the 111th Congress (i.e. what does the “typical” member of Congress
look like?)
The Constitutional Powers of Congress
1. Those delegated powers of the national government that are spelled out in the Constitution; also called formal and enumerated
powers.
2. This Constitutional provision, a.k.a. the “elastic clause,” gives Congress the flexibility given the circumstances of that time
period to carry out its expressed powers.
3. Provide one example of Congress’ use of an implied power.
4. Identify two powers of Congress that deal with money and commerce.
5. Identify two foreign relations or war powers given to Congress in the Constitution.
6. Identify one power that is only given to the House in the Constitution.
7. Identify one power that is only given to the Senate in the Constitution.
House and Senate Rules
1. This house has very formal rules, limited debate, and members tend to be policy specialists.
2. A very informal chamber in which members tend to be party generalists.
3. According to School House Rock, a bill originates with this.
4. A bill is introduced in the House of Representatives when the sponsor drops the bill here.
5. To introduce a bill in the Senate, the sponsor must do this.
6. In the House, a bill is referred to committee by ____________________.
7. Consent from the Rules Committee of the House which permits amendments from the floor on a particular piece of
legislation.
8. Rule in the House in which amendments are not allowed to be added to bills during floor debate.
9. In the House of Representatives, time for floor debate is generally limited to this.
10. In the Senate, these two leaders work cooperatively to schedule bills for floor debate.
11. Prolonged speech in the Senate until a majority of the Senate either abandons the bill or agrees to modify its most controversial
provisions.
12. Rule in the Senate that provides for the end of debate or filibuster on a bill if 3/5 of members agree.
13. Ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge.
How Congress Works – Party Leadership
1. The leadership position in each house who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking,
rounds up members when important votes are to be taken, and attempts to keep a nose count of how the voting
on a controversial issue is likely to go.
2. The head of the minority party in each house of Congress chosen by the caucus of the minority party, who is responsible
for formulating the minority party’s strategy and program.
3. The position created in the Constitution to serve as presiding officer of the Senate in the absence of the vice president.
4. The constitutionally mandated presiding office of the House who is chosen in the caucus of the majority party.
5. The current Speaker of the House.
6. The House Majority Leader.
7. The House Minority Leader.
8. President of the Senate.
9. President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
10. Senate Majority Leader.
11. Senate Minority Leader.
Congressional Committees
1. The permanent committees of Congress.
2. Committees made up of members of both the House and the Senate.
3. A congressional committee appointed for a limited time period and purpose (ex: House Assassinations Committee
4. A special type of joint committee appointed to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of a bill.
5. The committee in the House and Senate that sets specific funding for legislative bills and programs.
6. The committee in the House of Representatives where taxes originate.
7. This House committee serves as the “traffic cop” for bills from committees as it places bills on the calendar for floor
debate and decides if amendments may be added to bills.
8. Identify three purposes or functions of legislative committees.
How a Bill Becomes Law
1. A proposed new law introduced within a legislature that has not yet been passed, enacted or adopted.
2. A bill or act passed by a legislative body.
3. The duty to represent “the folks back home;” i.e. vote the way your constituents want instead of voting based on one’s on beliefs
and values.
4. Government spending that gives tangible benefits, public works programs or military bases, to constituents in hopes of winning
re-election.
5. The role in which members vote according to their own conscience or view of what is best for the district, state or nation;
sometimes in opposition to what constituents want.
6. How many votes are needed to override a presidential veto?
ANSWER KEY
Congressional Elections
1. Reapportionment
2. Redistricting
3. Gerrymandering
4. “one man one vote”
5. Majority-minority districts
6. Incumbents
7. 90%
8. Name recognition of incumbents, Emphasis on constituency service and large staff, franking privileges (free mailings), greater
access to media, have much more PAC contributions, experienced campaigners, take credit for fed. $ allocated to their region
Who’s in Congress?
1. 100
2. 2 years
3. 6 years
4. 435
5. 25
6. 30
7. Robert Hurt
8. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine
9. 435
10. 100
11. white, male, middle age, lawyers, protestant
The Constitutional Powers of Congress
1. Expressed powers
2. “Necessary and Proper Clause”
3. Establishing a national bank (commerce power); purchase LA territory (ratify treaties); Create the IRS (tax power); create an air
force (raise army and navy)
4. Originate tax bill, regulate commerce w/ foreign nations, collect taxes, duties, excises, declare war, borrow money, regulate
interstate commerce, establish bankruptcy laws, coin $, punish counterfeiters, regulate commerce
5. Declare war, Raise & support army & navy, Ratify treaties (S), Advise & consent ambassadors (S), Make rules concerning
captures on land and water , Make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces, Provide for calling forth
the militia to execute the laws of the union, Suppress insurrections and repel invasions, Organize, arm, train militia, Regulate
commerce with foreign nations, Define & punish offenses against the law of nation, define & punish piracy
6. Iinitiate revenue (tax bills); bring impeachment charges; choose President when electoral college is deadlocked
7. Treaty ratification; confirm presidential appointments; impeachment trial.
House and Senate Rules
1. House
2. Senate
3. An idea
4. The hopper
5. Read the bill on the floor of the Senate.
6. The Speaker
7. Open rule
8. Closed rule
9. 1 hour
10. Majority Leader & Minority Leader
11. Filibuster
12. Cloture
13. Franking privilege
How Congress Works – Party Leadership
1. Whip
2. Minority Leader
3. President Pro Tempore
4. Speaker.
5. John Boehner
6. Kevin McCarthy
7. Nancy Pelossi
8. Vice-president Joe Biden
9. Orin Hatch
10. Harry Reid
11. Mitch McConnell
Congressional Committees
1. Standing Committee
2. Joint Committees
3. Select Committee
4. Conference Committee
5. Appropriations Committee
6. Ways and Means Committee
7. Rules Committee
8. 1) “mark up” bills, 2) oversight of executive agencies, 3) conduct investigations
How a Bill Becomes Law
1. Bill
2. Law
3. Delegate Role
4. Pork Barrel Legislation
5. Trustee Role
6. 2/3 majority of both houses.