CONGRESSIONAL TEST
US Government
Name ____________________________________
Multiple Choice-choose the best possible answer.
1. Congress is comprised of the ____________________ and _________________________________.
a. Legislature and Executive
b. Senate and Supreme Court
c. House of Representatives and Senate
d. Legislative branch and Senate
2. The primary responsibility of Congress is to…
a. Execute laws
b. Enforce laws
c. Interpret laws
d. Make laws
3. All bills regarding spending begin in the _______________________________.
a. House of Representatives
b. Senate
c. bank
d. Defense Committee
4. Senators must be __________________ and citizens for _________________ years, as well as residents of the area they are elected from.
a. 25, 7
b. 35, 14
c. 30, 9
d. 18, 14
5. Representatives serve for _________________ year terms, and must be __________________ years old.
a. 4, 18
b. 6, 30
c. 2, 25
d. 4, 25
6. There are ____________________________ members of Congress.
a. 100
b. 435
c. 535
d. 600
7. Representation in Senate is ________________________.
a. equal for each state
b. based on population
c. determined by number of electors in the Electoral College
d. 1 per 40,000 residents
8. Representation in the House of Representatives is ______________________.
a. equal for each state
b. based on population
c. determined by number of electors in the Electoral College
d. 2 per state
9. A draft of a law is called a __________________.
a. subcommittee
b. draft
c. bill
d. law
10. Proposed laws are often brought to Congressmen by ____________________________, who then lobby to get their bill passed through the approval process.
a. special interest groups
b. special law-writing committees
c. other politicians
d. state governors
11. Most bills die ________________________________.
a. quickly and painlessly.
b. during debate.
c. in subcommittee.
d. on the President’s desk.
12. The job of committees is to
a. review Constitutionality of laws
b. determine whether or not to consider bills for debate on the floor
c. write laws
d. commit things
13. What is the final step in writing a bill before it goes to the President?
a. A conference committee from both houses works together to rewrite the House and Senate versions of the bill so that they match.
b. Typing up a final draft of the Senatorial version of the bill.
c. Debating the bill on the floor of the House.
d. Sending the bill to special interest groups for revision.
14. If you want to monitor when and how your Congressmen are voting, where would you look?
a. the Congressional Record
b. the newspaper
c. CNN
d. Fox News
15. Congress can override a Presidential veto by…
a. a ¾ majority vote in the Senate.
b. a 2/3 majority vote in both houses.
c. passing an amendment.
d. a quorum.
Short Answer. Answer with a thoughtful, thorough response.
16. How does a bill traditionally become a law? (Be specific!)
17. Are there ways to get around the traditional lawmaking process? If so, explain one.
18. What roles do special interest groups have in the lawmaking process?
19. Why are committees an important part of Congress?
20. If an individual wants to influence public policy (laws), how can he or she go about it?
Bonus Questions:
a. What is a filibuster?
b. What are the four types of committees in Congress? (1 each)