1. CONGRESS TEST REVIEW

2. When members of Congress add special amendments to a routine bill this is called pork barrel politics

3. Bills originate where? in either house except for money bills

4. Which house is subject to more political pressure? House of Representatives

5. True or false? House members are chosen by the people in each congressional district. true Each state is guaranteed at least 1 seat & terms last 2 years. true Representation in the House is based on population. true

6. Which amendment requires members of Congress to delay a pay increase until after the next election? 27 th

7. The presiding officer of the Senate is the Vice President votes in case of a tie is President of the Senate Dick Cheney

8. Special provisions not expected to pass on their own are sometimes attached to a bill sure to pass riders

9. This committee made up of members of both houses formed to iron out differences between 2 versions of the same bill is called conference committee

11. When the Constitution authorizes Congress to spend money, what is that called? power of the purse

12. Examples of checks and balances judicial review Senate approval of presidential appointments and treaties Congressional override of a veto

13. Incumbents are considered to have the advantage because they can raise more funds they have better name recognition they can use staff members to perform services for constituents

14. True or false? Congress is bicameral. true The House is based on population and limited to 435 members. true There is equal representation of each state in the Senate resulting in 100 members. true The results of a census are used to reapportion the seats in the Senate. false

15. The presiding officer of the House is Nancy Pelosi

16. When members of Congress gain favor with their constituents by attending to the individual needs of constituents… casework

17. The practice of talking a bill to death is called a filibuster

18. Permanent subject matter committees are called standing committees

19. When members of Congress get federal dollars spent back home in hopes of getting reelected pork barrel politics

20. Bicameral means two houses

21. When members of Congress send newsletters free of charge back home… franking privilege

22. Congress’ main job is to… make the law

23. The practice of reserving the job of committee chair for the member of the majority party who has served longest on the committee is called… seniority rule

24. The drawing of congressional district lines to favor the party or race in power is called… gerrymandering

25. To impeach means to … accuse

26. When members of Congress take trips for investigative purposes they are sometimes criticized for taking junkets

27. The term of office for the Senate is 6 years, three times as long as House members

28. Number of Republicans in the current House… 201

29. Examples of checks and balances presidential veto Congressional override of that veto

30. The current Senate has how many Democrats? 49

31. The current Speaker of the House is … Nancy Pelosi

32. Qualifications for becoming a U.S. Representative 25 years old citizen for 7 years resident of the state

35. When Congress checks up on how the executive branch (President) is spending $ and enforcing laws, what function is it exercising? oversight

36. Political arms of special interest groups contribute to campaign funds of members of Congress PACs (political action committees)

37. The purpose of the Declaration of Independence break ties with the British gov’t

38. In an indirect democracy, which of the following are true? The elected representatives make the decisions. true A small group makes the decisions. false One person makes the decisions. false The people make all the decisions. false

39. When the Constitution divides power between a strong central gov’t and 50 state gov’ts, what is that called? federalism

40. The mention of three branches of gov’t automatically calls to your mind what principle of gov’t? separation of powers, of course!

41. When the Court declares a law unconstitutional, it is exercising which principle of gov’t? judicial review

42. When amendments are added to the Constitution, how is our gov’t changed? formally

43. Exclusive powers of the national gov’t? coin money? yes make treaties? yes enforce laws? no declare war? yes

44. The equal protection clause was added to the Constitution with which Amendment? 14 th Amendment

45. The idea of a“wall of separation of church and state” comes from which Amendment? Establishment Clause of the 1 st Amendment

46. You cannot be punished for something that was not a crime at the time that you did it. What is this? ex post facto law