The US Congress is made up of two chambers. What are they?
a) House of Representatives and Senate
b) House of Commons and Senate
c) House of Lords and Senate
d) House of Delegates and Senate
Answer: a) House of Representatives and Senate
How many members are there in the US Senate?
a) 100
b) 435
c) 538
d) 50
Answer: a) 100
The number of seats in the US House of Representatives is based on what?
a) Population of the state
b) Land area of the state
c) Number of Senators from the state
d) Number of Governors in the state
Answer: a) Population of the state
How long is a term for a member of the US House of Representatives?
a) 2 years
b) 4 years
c) 6 years
d) 8 years
Answer: a) 2 years
How long is a term for a US Senator?
a) 2 years
b) 4 years
c) 6 years
d) 8 years
Answer: c) 6 years
Who is the presiding officer of the US House of Representatives?
a) President of the United States
b) Speaker of the House
c) Vice President
d) Majority Leader
Answer: b) Speaker of the House
Which of the following is a power of the US Congress?
a) Declaring war
b) Issuing executive orders
c) Appointing federal judges
d) Negotiating treaties
Answer: a) Declaring war
What is the minimum age requirement to be a member of the US House of Representatives?
a) 18 years
b) 21 years
c) 25 years
d) 30 years
Answer: c) 25 years
What is the minimum age requirement to be a US Senator?
a) 18 years
b) 21 years
c) 25 years
d) 30 years
Answer: d) 30 years
In the US Senate, who serves as the presiding officer in the absence of the Vice President?
a) Majority Leader
b) Minority Leader
c) President Pro Tempore
d) Speaker of the House
Answer: c) President Pro Tempore
What is the term for a proposal for new legislation in Congress?
a) Bill
b) Resolution
c) Law
d) Amendment
Answer: a) Bill
How can Congress override a presidential veto?
a) Simple majority vote in both chambers
b) Two-thirds majority vote in both chambers
c) Supermajority vote in the Senate
d) Unanimous vote in both chambers
Answer: b) Two-thirds majority vote in both chambers
Which chamber of Congress has the power to confirm presidential appointments, including federal judges?
a) House of Representatives
b) Senate
c) Both chambers have this power
d) Neither chamber has this power
Answer: b) Senate
The power to impeach federal officials, including the President, is granted to which chamber of Congress?
a) House of Representatives
b) Senate
c) Both chambers have this power
d) Neither chamber has this power
Answer: a) House of Representatives
Which of the following is a power of the Senate?
a) Introducing revenue bills
b) Electing the President of the United States
c) Ratifying treaties
d) Initiating impeachment proceedings
Answer: c) Ratifying treaties
Which chamber of Congress is responsible for initiating revenue bills, such as those related to taxes and government spending?
a) House of Representatives
b) Senate
c) Both chambers have this power
d) Neither chamber has this power
Answer: a) House of Representatives
What is a filibuster?
a) A tactic to block or delay legislation by giving lengthy speeches
b) A committee that reviews and amends bills
c) A procedure to override a presidential veto
d) A method of resolving disputes between the House and Senate
Answer: a) A tactic to block or delay legislation by giving lengthy speeches
How many total members are there in the US Congress?
a) 100
b) 435
c) 535
d) 538
Answer: c) 535
Who is the current Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate (as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021)?
a) Joe Biden
b) Kamala Harris
c) Nancy Pelosi
d) Mitch McConnell
Answer: b) Kamala Harris
What is a conference committee in Congress?
a) A committee that holds hearings to investigate executive branch activities
b) A committee that reviews and amends bills before they are voted on
c) A joint committee of the House and Senate to reconcile differences in bills
d) A committee responsible for introducing revenue bills
Answer: c) A joint committee of the House and Senate to reconcile differences in bills
The process of redrawing congressional district boundaries to reflect changes in population is known as:
a) Gerrymandering
b) Filibustering
c) Cloture
d) Vetoing
Answer: a) Gerrymandering
What is the purpose of the census conducted every ten years in the United States?
a) To determine the number of members in the House of Representatives for each state
b) To elect the President of the United States
c) To allocate funds for congressional salaries
d) To establish the size of the Supreme Court
Answer: a) To determine the number of members in the House of Representatives for each state
Which committee in the House of Representatives has the power to initiate bills related to raising revenue, such as taxes?
a) Judiciary Committee
b) Ways and Means Committee
c) Foreign Affairs Committee
d) Budget Committee
Answer: b) Ways and Means Committee
The process by which a bill is referred to the appropriate committee in Congress for review is called:
a) Cloture
b) Filibuster
c) Committee markup
d) Veto
Answer: c) Committee markup
What is a pocket veto?
a) The President’s refusal to sign a bill into law and returning it to Congress
b) Congress’s power to override a presidential veto
c) The President’s power to influence the legislative agenda
d) The President’s indirect veto of a bill by not signing it before Congress adjourns
Answer: d) The President’s indirect veto of a bill by not signing it before Congress adjourns
What is the minimum number of members required for a quorum in the US House of Representatives?
a) One-third of the members
b) One-half of the members
c) Two-thirds of the members
d) Three-fourths of the members
Answer: b) One-half of the members
Which of the following is a constitutional requirement to be a member of the US House of Representatives?
a) US citizenship for at least 5 years
b) US citizenship for at least 9 years
c) US citizenship for at least 14 years
d) US citizenship for at least 25 years
Answer: b) US citizenship for at least 9 years
Which committee in the Senate is responsible for reviewing and confirming presidential nominations for federal judgeships?
a) Judiciary Committee
b) Ways and Means Committee
c) Foreign Relations Committee
d) Budget Committee
Answer: a) Judiciary Committee
Who is next in line to assume the presidency after the Vice President?
a) Speaker of the House
b) President Pro Tempore of the Senate
c) Majority Leader of the House
d) Secretary of State
Answer: a) Speaker of the House
What is the main function of the House Rules Committee?
a) To review and amend bills before they are voted on
b) To decide the schedule and terms of debate for bills
c) To conduct oversight of executive branch activities
d) To draft and introduce legislation
Answer: b) To decide the schedule and terms of debate for bills
Which of the following is an example of a non-legislative power of Congress?
a) Passing a bill to fund the military
b) Confirming presidential nominations
c) Declaring war
d) Investigating and oversight of executive agencies
Answer: d) Investigating and oversight of executive agencies
How often are elections held for members of the US House of Representatives?
a) Every year
b) Every two years
c) Every four years
d) Every six years
Answer: b) Every two years
Which of the following is a power of the Speaker of the House?
a) Introducing bills in the House
b) Casting tie-breaking votes in the Senate
c) Leading the majority party in the House
d) Presiding over the Senate
Answer: c) Leading the majority party in the House
The process of ending a filibuster in the Senate by a vote of three-fifths of the members is known as:
a) Cloture
b) Filibuster
c) Pocket veto
d) Gerrymandering
Answer: a) Cloture
Which of the following is a power of the President of the Senate (Vice President)?
a) Introducing bills in the Senate
b) Casting tie-breaking votes in the House
c) Leading the minority party in the Senate
d) Presiding over the Senate
Answer: b) Casting tie-breaking votes in the House
What is a rider in the context of legislative processes?
a) A member of Congress who introduces many bills
b) A proposed amendment to a bill unrelated to its subject
c) The leader of the minority party in the Senate
d) A committee that reviews and amends bills
Answer: b) A proposed amendment to a bill unrelated to its subject
What is the primary function of the Joint Committee on Conference?
a) To review and amend bills before they are voted on
b) To decide the schedule and terms of debate for bills
c) To reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill
d) To draft and introduce legislation
Answer: c) To reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill
What is the term for the process of drawing congressional district boundaries to favor a particular political party?
a) Redistricting
b) Apportionment
c) Cloture
d) Gerrymandering
Answer: d) Gerrymandering
Which committee in the House of Representatives is responsible for determining the rules and procedures for debate on bills?
a) Judiciary Committee
b) Rules Committee
c) Appropriations Committee
d) Ethics Committee
Answer: b) Rules Committee
What is the term for a formal charge of wrongdoing or misconduct brought against a federal official, such as the President?
a) Indictment
b) Arraignment
c) Subpoena
d) Impeachment
Answer: d) Impeachment
The power of Congress to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers” is referred to as the:
a) Supremacy Clause
b) Commerce Clause
c) Necessary and Proper Clause
d) Equal Protection Clause
Answer: c) Necessary and Proper Clause
Which of the following is a step in the legislative process that occurs after a bill is introduced?
a) Presidential approval
b) House approval
c) Committee review
d) Judicial review
Answer: c) Committee review
The concept of congressional oversight refers to:
a) The power of Congress to create new executive agencies
b) The power of Congress to review and monitor the activities of the executive branch
c) The power of Congress to override presidential vetoes
d) The power of Congress to confirm judicial appointments
Answer: b) The power of Congress to review and monitor the activities of the executive branch
What is the term for a continuous body of Congress, where only some of the seats are up for election in any given election cycle?
a) Bicameral
b) Unicameral
c) Staggered
d) Rotational
Answer: c) Staggered
How many members are there in the Congressional Black Caucus (as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021)?
a) 50
b) 100
c) 435
d) Varies by election
Answer: d) Varies by election
Who has the power to introduce legislation in Congress?
a) The President
b) Cabinet members
c) Supreme Court Justices
d) Members of Congress
Answer: d) Members of Congress
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is responsible for:
a) Reviewing bills for constitutional compliance
b) Analyzing the potential economic impact of proposed legislation
c) Investigating allegations of government misconduct
d) Conducting foreign policy negotiations
Answer: b) Analyzing the potential economic impact of proposed legislation
What is the term for a legislator who acts as a delegate, voting according to the preferences of their constituents?
a) Trustee
b) Filibuster
c) Whip
d) Politico
Answer: d) Politico
What is the term for a legislator who uses their best judgment to make policy decisions, even if it means disagreeing with their constituents?
a) Trustee
b) Delegate
c) Whip
d) Politico
Answer: a) Trustee
The power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states, and with Indian tribes is granted to Congress by which clause of the US Constitution?
a) Supremacy Clause
b) Necessary and Proper Clause
c) Commerce Clause
d) Equal Protection Clause
Answer: c) Commerce Clause
