1. Chapter 12
Congress in Action

2. Section 1
Congress Organizes

3. 1. Which of the following is a presiding officer?
President of the senate
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore
All of the above

4. 2. All of the following are true about the president of the Senate and the Speaker of the House except
Both hold an office mentioned in the constitution
Both are elected officials
Both are chosen by members of a house of congress
Both are allowed to vote under some circumstances

5. 3. Which of the following is the main way a member of the House or Senate is appointed committee chairperson?
Show special aptitude for the job
Be in the House or Senate longer than anyone else wanting the job
Be supported by a majority of members of his or her house
Be requested by the President of the United States

6. 4. All of the following are arguments against the seniority rule except
The rule results in conflict within the party.
The rule ignores ability.
The rule discourages young members of Congress.
The rule promotes a “safe” constituency for committee chairpersons.

7. Committees in Congress
Section 2
Committees in Congress

8. 5. A standing committee is a permanent group.
True or False?
5. A standing committee is a permanent group.
True

9. True or False?
6. The main job of the House Rules Committee is to watch over the ethics of House members.
False

10. True or False?
7. Select committees are set up for a specific purpose for a limited time.
True

11. True or False?
8. Conference committees meet to confer over the organization of their respective houses.
False

12. 9. Why must a conference committee meet on a compromise bill even if both houses pass similar bills?
It is an unwritten custom.
The bill must be identical when it goes to the President to sign.
It creates something for legislators to do.
None of the above.

13. 10. Why are party politics so important in congressional organization?
The majority party always holds the chairmanship and a majority of the seats on each committee.
The majority party gets special privileges in office assignments in the Congressional Office Building.
The majority party is invited to the White House more often.
The majority party elects the president of the Senate.

14. 11. The main difference between a joint committee and a conference committee is
Joint committees are permanent; conference committees are temporary
Joint committees originate in the House; conference committees originate in the Senate
Joint committees perform investigative or house keeping duties; conference committees iron out differences in bills from both houses.
All of the above.

15. 12. Which of the following describes the main work of the House Rules Committee?
It serves as a watchdog over members’ behavior.
It decides if a bill will be taken up by the full House.
It establishes the guidelines for appointing members to committees.
None of the above.

16. SECTION 3 HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW: THE HOUSE

17. 13. All of the following are courses of action taken by a committee regarding a bill except
Voting favorably on the bill, but postponing reporting it back to the full House until next term
Reporting the bill favorably with a “do Pass” recommendation
Refusing to report the bill
Reporting the bill in an amended form

18. 14. How can the House Rules Committee kill a bill even after it has been recommended by a standing committee?
By failing to set a time for the appearance of the bill on the floor or “pigeonholing” it
By declaring the standing committee out of order
By declaring that the committee chairman has not followed the rules
By placing the bill on a Sunday on the calendar

19. SECTION 4 THE BILL IN THE SENATE

20. True or False?
15. The Senate, when considering a bill, tends to be more formal than the House.
False

21. 16. The Senate is the house that practices filibusters.
True or False?
16. The Senate is the house that practices filibusters.
True

22. 17. Filibusters are practiced by those in the minority on an issue.
True or False?
17. Filibusters are practiced by those in the minority on an issue.
True

23. 18. Cloture is a Senate rule for limiting debate.
True or False?
18. Cloture is a Senate rule for limiting debate.
True

24. True or False?
19. The President’s only options are to sign or veto a bill passed in both the House and the Senate.
False

25. 20. Why do many senators hesitate to support cloture motions?
They fear reprisal from their constituents.
They hope the filibusterer will talk himself or herself out of a job.
They know the president of the Senate will eventually close debate anyway.
They worry that some day they themselves may want to use the filibuster and do not want to jeopardize the Senate tradition of free debate.

26. 21. Which of the following is a rule that restricts a conference committee?
The President must agree to a compromise version before it goes back to Congress for a vote.
The committee can consider only the points that the House and Senate bills disagree on.
The resulting compromise bill must be sent to the floors of the houses at least ten days before adjournment of the session.
All of the above.

27. 22. Which of the following does the Constitution require?
Every resolution passed by either house be sent to the President.
All bills passed by both houses be sent to the President.
All bills submitted to a conference committee be sent to the President.
All of the above.

28. 23. Which of the following is a way a bill can become a law without the President’s signature?
The President delegates the signing of the bill to the Vice-President.
The President waits until the Congress is not in session.
The President fails to act on it within 10 days of receiving it while Congress is in session.
The President leaves the country.

29. congressional chaplain. accounting clerk.
24. The duties of the House Rules Committee are best described as those of a
factory foreman.
traffic cop.
congressional chaplain.
accounting clerk.

30. 25. The main reason that Congress creates committees is to
divide the workload.
educate new members.
introduce new bills.
create party power bases.

31. 26. How and when bills reach the floor of the House is decided by the
Ways and Means Committee.
Rules Committee.
Appropriations Committee.
Judiciary Committee.

32. 27. Committee chairpersons usually are chosen
by the presiding officers.
by the whips.
on the basis of ability.
on the basis of seniority.

33. 28. Unlike the House, the Senate has a legislative process with
few limits on debate.
strict limits on debate.
no roll-call voting.
no voice voting.

34. 29. Bills are introduced in the Senate by
the Rules Committee.
individual senators.
investigative committees.
the majority floor leader.

35. Dean of the Senate. Majority floor leader. President pro tempore.
30. In the Vice President’s absence, the presiding officer of the Senate is the
Dean of the Senate.
Majority floor leader.
President pro tempore.
d. Speaker of the Senate.

36. 31. The main way to end a filibuster is by
a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
invoking the Cloture Rule.
convening a conference committee.
voting the filibusterer out of office.

37. 32. In order to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law, the President may
Sign it and attach a veto message.
Refuse to sign it and attach a veto message.
Sign it after ten days if Congress is in session.
Negotiate a compromise bill with Congress.

38. 33. Most measures introduced in the House die at which of these steps?
committee
cloture
quorum
floor vote

39. 34. The president pro tempore
is elected by the House and is the leader of its minority party.
is replaced, when absent, by the Speaker of the House.
serves in the absence of the Vice President of the United States.
serves in the absence of the Speaker of the Senate.

40. 35. Conference committees act as a “third house of Congress” when they
use investigative powers similar to those of the House and Senate.
screen, debate, and vote on bills.
appoint presiding officers.
produce a compromise bill that both the House and Senate will accept.

41. 36. All of the following options are available to a President who has just received a bill except
sign the bill within 10 days
sign the bill after 15 days
veto the bill
use a pocket veto

42. 37. Majority floor leaders hold considerable power due mainly to the fact that
they are the most popular leaders.
presiding officers choose them.
the majority party has more seats than the other party has.
they are assisted by a powerful whip.

43. 38. The purpose of a filibuster is to
invoke the rule of cloture.
prevent quorum calls.
speed up action on a bill.
prevent action on a bill.

44. 39. A compromise bill worked on by a conference committee of House and Senate members is
usually passed by both house of Congress.
never passed by both house of Congress.
always passed with amendments.
sometimes passed with amendments.

45. LIGHTNING ROUND

46. A provision attached to an important bill
rider

47. A majority of the full membership of either house
quorum

48. A_________enables members to force a bill that has been in committee for 30 days onto the floor for consideration
discharge petition

49. The elected presiding officer of the House and the acknowledged leader of its majority party
Speaker of the House

50. The tradition that majority party members with the longest service records become committee chairpersons
seniority rule